Agenda item

Dave Budd, the police community co-ordinator will be in attendance at the meeting to present an item on anti-social behaviour in the area.  Notes from a meeting between the police and councillors are attached at Appendix C.

General Crime Issues

Dave Budd, Police Community Co-ordinator, attended the meeting and outlined the principal areas of work of the Local Policing Unit that covered the Saffron, Eyres Monsell and Freemen areas, and of the various areas within the community where issues had been identified as follows: -

i)                   Domestic Violence – see below

ii)                 Police work in liaison with other agencies, including the City Council, and also rely on information and intelligence supplied by the public

iii)               Cricket Ground – Police no longer dealt with car parking issues, but would intervene when vehicles were causing an obstruction. City Council looking at permits for residents.

iv)                Southfields Library – Graffiti and damage to building during period of nearby roadworks and People arrested. The exercise highlighted a number of issues concerning the building and work to address these issues was now underway.

v)                  Drug Dealing/Use – Eyres Monsell area. Lot of work being carried out resulting from information received and the results of this work would be seen soon.

vi)                Anti-Social Behaviour – The Exchange/Pasley Road areas. Police working with Youth Services and other agencies to address this.

vii)              Velodrome, Saffron Lane – Facilities for young people within proposed new development felt to be inadequate. Police working with Youth Services to try and address this.

In concluding the Area Committee were informed that the Local Policing Unit arranged and attended a number of community meetings and frequently made use of the mobile Police Station that was available to enable closer liaison to take place between the wider community and the police.

Dave Budd informed the Area Committee that the 101 reporting line now no longer existed, as the government funding for the project had not been renewed. Local residents were urged to continue to report incidents to the Police on 222 2222.

Domestic Violence

Sgt. Graham Thompson, Local Policing Unit Commander, attended the meeting.

Sgt. Thompson stated that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men would be a victim of domestic violence. 89% of sufferers subjected to 4 or more incidents were women. Countrywide 12.9 million domestic violence incidents against women were reported in 2004, compared to 2.5 million incidents against men. An average of 2 people per week were killed due to domestic violence.

Sgt. Thompson stated that a lot of work around domestic violence had been carried out and this area of work could not be blamed on drugs, alcohol ormental health. Experience had shown that relationships could be quite well established before domestic violence started, often 12 months or more.

Locally there had been 150 cases of actual bodily harm, 90 incidents of common assault and 30 harassment incidents, although it was emphasised the figures were decreasing.

It was stated that the Police now took positive action in each of the incidents referred to above and took control by often arresting one or both of the parties involved, and where possible court action was taken. The Police were trying to get the message across that they would be taking all such incidents seriously and that action would be taken.