A Police Officer will be at the meeting to provide an update on local policing issues in the Ward.
Minutes:
Attendees were asked to note an update from Police Sergeant 2210 Yusuf Nagdi . Points made included the following:
In the last three months the crime statistics were as follows:
Burglary from dwellings: 28
Burglaries – on dwellings 18
Robberies 11
Theft of and from vehicles 19
The current Police priority was to tackle burglaries from dwellings; a dedicated Police vehicle was on the streets every evening in the Rushey Mead Ward. Officers had visited every house on those streets which were deemed to be susceptible to being burgled, giving crime protection advice.
Questions and concerns raised from attendees included the following:
· Complaints had been made relating to people drinking alcohol on Cossington Park. PS Nagdi responded that Cossington Park had previously been a key priority for the Police in Belgrave. A covered bench had been removed which had resulted in a very significant reduction in the number of reported incidences. However, when the weather improved it was anticipated that the number of incidences would increase and the Police were planning to meet up with community partners to tackle the issue.
· PS Nagdi was asked for a range of different statistics relating to crime in the ward and stated that he didn’t have that information to hand, but if he knew what was required, he could bring those statistics to future meetings. Action Councillors to liaise with PS Nagdi re the reporting of statistics at future meetings.
· Neighbourhood Watch – residents were interested in starting up the Neighbourhood Watch again; there had been an incident in Lockerbie Avenue and residents had been frightened to call the Police. A suitable venue was sought to hold the meetings.
PS Nagdi explained that beat surgeries were advertised on the internet. The Police would be happy to come along to meetings wherever possible (unless there was an emergency). They would also carry out leaflet drops advertising Neighbourhood Watch Groups.
· Residents were urged to report incidences to the Police; such reports helped him to target officers to where they were most needed.
· Attendees quoted examples of where crimes were reported and nothing happened. PS Nagdi stated on average, there were six officers on duty in Rushey Mead and Belgrave. On 27 February (the day of the meeting) there had been four officers in the area as two had been working on scene preservation duties at the site of the fatal explosion on Hinckley Road.
· Councillor Patel commented on a meeting she had held with a resident in one of the parks, to look at areas of concern and suggested that it would be helpful to do this again but with the Police present. PS Nagdi commented that the Police would be happy to attend and other partners, including Parks Officers, the City Warden, Bharat Football Club and Councillors would be invited. Action : Community Engagement Officer
· A request was made for an invitation for Lord Bach, the Police and Crime Commissioner to attend a future Rushey Mead Community Meeting. The Chair agreed to send an invitation to Lord Bach. Action: Councillor Willmott.