Agenda item

Your opportunity to let the Neighbourhood Police Team know your concerns and issues to help them target their resources.

Sgt. Colin Sutherland told the meeting that the purpose of this ‘Safer Neighbourhood Team Update’ was to consult with residents to find the priorities they wanted the team to focus on. They had identified 5 possible priorites and they were written on flip-chart paper. There was also a blank one for people to write their own suggestions on. The five identified by face-to-face meetings with the public and from previous meetings were;

• Criminal Damage
• Drugs & Violent Crime
• Anti-Social Behaviour
• Theft
• Begging

Sgt. Sutherland said that they would continue to concentrate on all the issues but would pay special attention to the issues prioritised. He asked people to write their suggestions on the sheets and they would go through them all and come up with priorities. He went on to talk about some successes in the ward when the community and police work together.

Mr Edgehill read out a statement;

“Ladies & gentlemen, The city centre of York is rife with minor crimes & misdemeanours.  I have been trying for at least five years to persuade the police with little success to prosecute the perpetrators of these offences begging, cycling offences, urinating in the streets, littering and general antisocial behaviour, I strongly believe that if a zero tolerance policy was adopted that there would be a reduction in most types crime  I also believe that this would really give the criminal element no where to hide as the suspicious characters caught breaking the law could be searched for weapons drugs and contraband inconveniencing them  and slowing down their escape. 

It would also seem that the police can target the motorist with great gusto but whilst other types of law breaking are ignored, this as we all know is revenue collection exercise that is relatively easy to police.

Every year we have to pay above inflation rises for policing whilst it seams the service deteriorates.

Gillygate/Bootham  is one of the busiest  junctions for abuse in York yet I can only once recall a police presence at this junction for the purpose of traffic violations carried out by cyclists. Exhibition Sq. and the surrounding area are regular places for beggars, rough sleepers, street drinking and antisocial behaviour, around the back of the Kings Manor is a regular place for teenagers drinking making nuisance and  littering.  The area around the City Archives is also being used as a public toilet by certain factions of the community.

In closing I would like to say that over the last few weeks the begging situation has improved by what would see an initiave taken by the PCSOs Chris and Nikki and I say a big thank you to them. Long may it continue.

Thank you for your patience”

Sgt. Sutherland finished by introducing the team. The PCs Kelly McTigh and Ray Milligan and the PCSOs Martin, Mike, Jenny, Chris and Nicky.

Q. Do your team go onto the bar walls

A. Yes the do patrol them. The team is aware of problems and the walss are on their patrol plan.

Q. Sometimes we call up when there’s a crime happening and no-one comes for an hour. We’ve been told that if we ring 999 we might get charged for it.

A. If there’s a crime happening, or you feel in danger or threatened call 999, you won’t get charged for it. If you think someone is committing an offence call 999 if not use 0845 60 60 24 7. You should remember that whatever number you call the incident will be prioritised for response.

Some residents said that PCSOs had been visible and helped to reduce incidents particularly along the Foss walkway. Other areas were highlighted as having problems with drugs, the Safer Neighbourhood Team took notes.

It was then explained that the PCSO patrols should be more obvious with the lighter nights and that they could extend their patrols to cover problem areas.

Q. A lot of crimes could be dealt with in a fairly straightforward manner. 3-4 cyclists on  a pavement could be stopped. Are there any plans for activites to do this.

A. Yes. In the same way that motorists are targeted during operations the same will be true of cyclists.

Q. I’ve seen incidents happening and the police drive past ignoring it.

A. They must have been on another call otherwise they would have stopped..

Sgt. Sutherland finished by letting the meeting know that the Safer Neighbourhood Team want to work with residents to set priorites and to reduce crime.