Good Initiatives; On the beat and getting results:
Many people call for visible police patrols in their local community to try and improve community safety. In Weymouth, two uniformed officers have been doing exactly that.
Weymouth and Portland Borough Council worked with Dorset police, British Transport Police, Dorset County Council and the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner to set up Community Safety Accreditation Scheme, which employed specially trained officers to help reduce Anti-Social Behaviour. The training issued was thorough and included security checks, body armour and training to enable them to carry out police and council enforcement powers, such as enforcing the Public Space Protection Order. The Public Space Protection Order gives officers certain powers such as being able to place restrictions on individuals that persistently commit anti-social behaviour.
Since January 2019, the officers have issued 27 verbal warnings, 7 Community Protection notices, 3 alcohol seizes and removed 7 lots of abandoned property.
Kat and Sam, the two patrol officers working on this initiative say that everyday is different, with them encouraging people to come up to them and “talk to us, especially if anything has made you feel unsafe”. They added that they are “building up a good rapport with local people, traders and the homeless community. We will not tolerate anti-social behaviour”. In addition to anti-social behaviour, they also see people who are in crisis or suffering from mental health problems, and they help them to find the services they need.
With ongoing problems across the country with the 101 number it has become very difficult for people to raise issues of anti-social behaviour. The constant presence of Kat and Sam makes a huge difference in bridging the gap between large agencies like the police and council, and individual victims. Sometimes victims are not sure who to talk to, or how bad the behaviour really is, or what can be done about it. Seeking out Kat and Sam to ask these questions is a great bonus for the people of Weymouth and something we would love to see happen elsewhere. It is also great to have the continuity of the same officers who gave a notice or order, be the ones to witness any potential breach and take the necessary action.
It is clear more visible patrols work, as the officers can work with numerous different agencies in order to get a variety of training and skills, build a rapport with local members of the Community and take a proactive approach to dealing with Community Safety.
Read the article here: https://www.wessexfm.com/news/dorset-news/2840142/on-the-beat-and-getting-results/
See our page on Excellent nitiatives for more examples of local community initiatives which have helped improve community safety and anti-social behaviour.
Stalking Protection Orders – a step in the right direction to tackle stalking within the United Kingdom:
Harassment can be defined as: “the act of systematic and/or continued, unwanted and annoying actions of one party or a group, including threats and demands”.
There are many types of anti-social behaviour within the category of harassment, with one of them being stalking.
Stalking can be defined as unwanted or obsessive attention by an individual or group. The Crime Survey for England and Wales reports that 1 in 5 women and nearly 1 in 10 men aged 16-59 have been victims of stalking since the age of 16.
The Stalking Protection Bill has been developed in 2019 to introduce Stalking Protection Orders, which are civil orders that police can apply to enable them to tackle stranger stalking quicker and more effectively. This bill has been developed by the Government and has been given royal assent, in a bid to tackle violence against women and girls in the United Kingdom.
The new stalking protection orders will allow for both restrictions and requirements for perpetrators and will carry a criminal penalty if these are broken. Importantly, the police apply for the order themselves, saving the victim stress and worry at an already traumatic time. The new orders can apply to any case of stalking but is designed specifically for occasions where stalking occurs outside of a domestic abuse context and will allow the courts to ban perpetrators from entering certain locations and contacting the victims. Furthermore, it will also force the perpetrator to seek help, often in the form of a mental health assessment. By addressing the issues of the perpetrator also, it should help to stop re-offending.
In addition to the Stalking Protection Orders, the Home Office has provided £4.1 million to fund the Multi-Agency Stalking Interventions Programme, which aims to improve responses to stalking within the Criminal Justice System. Furthermore, £50,000 a year will be provided to the National Stalking Helpline, ensuring that victims will continue to have someone to contact if they feel in danger or need advice.
Victoria Atkins (Minister for Crime, Safeguarding and Vulnerabilities) said that the new Stalking Protection Orders will “provide safety and security for victims earlier than ever before”. Furthermore, Baroness Bertin added that the new orders will ensure victims “do not have to wait for prosecution before protection kicks in”.
If you are a victim of stalking, then do not suffer in silence. See our page on Harassment, read our stalking case studies or visit the National Stalking Helpline for more information.