|
|
-
On the 9/11/2009 North Wales Police launched the “Balance Your Bobbies” initiative aimed to complement existing local avenues for residents to communicate their concerns and needs to their local officers with a view to them being addressed.
As we approach the Xmas period I am keen to ensure we have the right amount of officers working in the right places so that the festive period is a safe and happy for the residents of Wrexham South. With that in mind it is imperative that you the residents share your concerns with me and my staff.
What is it?
Balance your Bobbies is a fresh and innovative way for North Wales Police to engage with you to find out what your priorities are. Balance Your Bobbies invites you to assign police resources based on your perception of neighbourhood issues.
What are the benefits?
Identifying what local community priorities and concerns really are.
Improve public confidence by directly responding to your views.
Increase public involvement in policing.
Allows the District Inspector a direct channel to direct resources.
How does it work?
The first section of the page has an area or post code selection. When the user has filled in the correct details and clicked on the “Find My Team” button, the associated Policing Team details will be displayed. You are then free to proceed with the Balancing aspect of the page.
This entails the user moving a graphical slider back and forth along the associated priorities, in 5% increments. As the sliders are moved a graphical representation will be made in real time of the amount or balance the user has allocated in total. Once the user has reached or balanced to 100% or less, you will be able to click on the “submit” button.
You will able to carry out this process once a month. At the end of the month a brief summary report of results on a ward and district level will be automatically sent to myself for comment. This will allow me to take a real time measure of what the general issues are within the community based on the public’s perception.
The use of the system is increasing week by week, but I would encourage all residents living in Wrexham South to also pick up the phone, e mail or stop their local officers to let them know in more detail how the problem affects you. It is easy for me and my staff to assume we know the problem but without your input we cannot claim to fully understand.
There is now almost a month’s worth of information available from the initiative and am pleased to note that our existing action plans mirror the concerns raised.
What is also apparent is that residents in some wards are more inclined to use the system than others and I would encourage everyone to at least take a look at it and view the information that is available to residents on the website.
You Said…..
Generally speaking the most prominent issues for the residents across the Wrexham South area is that of speeding and dangerous drivers. This has long been held as a priority right across North Wales Police. On talking with residents, Councillors, and partner agencies I am told that the problem is more prevalent on specific roads and locations which my officers currently target. However, as aforementioned I would not wish to assume I understand how the issue might affect you, your road or street, family and friends, and so on. Therefore please contact your local officer and talk it through.
Speeding and dangerous driving require a coordinated response from the police, our partner agencies, and the public. What I can assure the residents of Wrexham South area is that we have an excellent record of working in partnership to tackle issues. To ensure focus is maintained here in Wrexham South I meet monthly with partner agencies responsible for providing services in the District as well as County Councillors. Together we make up the Wrexham South Community Safety Group. The aim is to continually monitor and provide responses to the changing needs of the Communities in the South Wrexham area.
We Did…..
So what have been doing to tackle speeding and dangerous driving? This forms one element of wider education and enforcement activity aimed to improve road safety of pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and other road users in Wrexham South. Our actions have been designed to improve safety of our most vulnerable groups including children and the elderly.
Children and Young people.
In conjunction with The Special Constabulary we have provided cycling proficiency tests to 160 children in the District this year and the programme will continue in the Spring.
Officers attend school crossing and schools to provide safe crossing education and raise awareness of the dangers of the roads.
A “pimp your ride” training unit has been deployed to locations in Wrexham Town where young people/drivers from across the borough meet up. It allows officers to interact with young people and educate them as to the dangers of speed and advise them as to sensible driving.
Joint visits with the Councils Licensing Department and VOSAs to schools whereby school bus and taxi drivers and their vehicles are thoroughly checked as to their suitability to transport children.
Local officers along with school children assess routes to ensure crossings are adequate.
School children have worked alongside local officers and the Road’s Policing Unit to target speeding drivers past their schools. When caught the driver is asked to explain themselves to the children!
Elderly and Vulnerable People
Local officers along with Councillors and The Highways Department continually assess crossings around locations of elderly people, disabled, and persons who are hard of hearing or visually impaired. Consulting with residents to hear feedback as to what is needed. Seeking to improve them as required in terms of signage, audible warnings and tactile pavement.
Enforcement
Speed gun regularly deployed on roads which are identified by officers and the public as suffering from speeding vehicles.
Section 59 notices issued to people driving in an anti social manner. These notices allow officers to seize vehicles from them should they do it again. This has been very effective in dealing with off road motor bikes and mini motos.
Untaxed vehicles have been seized.
We have been targeting persons using mobile telephones whilst driving and those not wearing seatbelts.
To give you a flavour of other action plans we are currently following in the District:
Underage drinking.
Alcohol abuse or ‘binge drinking’ particularly amongst the young has become a national concern and can have serious consequences to health and personal safety, not to mention the impact on the wider community through the unruly behaviour often attributed to this lifestyle.
The first objective of this plan is to protect our young people from the effects of alcohol abuse, and the anti-social behaviour it often generates. This will be done through a combination of working with parents and guardians, education and enforcement.
The second objective is to reduce the impact of alcohol related anti-social behaviour on the wider community and provide a reassuring highly visible presence to areas affected. If parents or guardians have any concerns about their child then they should contact their local officers who will work with them and other agencies to help address those concerns. Parents who choose to ignore the problem and fail to address their child’s behaviour will be challenged by their local officers and elements of the plan as summarised below will be rigorously enforced. Premises selling to underage children will be identified and action will be taken against the licence holder where necessary. Persons identified buying alcohol on behalf of children will be prosecuted.
Environmental Audits (EVA’s).
The purpose of an EVA is to focus police and partner agency attention on continual improvement of the visual environment of your neighbourhood, making it a more pleasant place to live, work and play. EVA’s are conducted jointly between your local Neighbourhood Policing Team, representatives from Wrexham County Borough Council under their 'Pride in your Streets' initiative, together with your local elected member
An EVA is conducted by walking around your neighbourhood, at the conclusion of which up to 5 priorities are agreed. If you would like more information on the process or have a particular issue you would like to be addressed please contact either your PCSO or local Councillor.
Targeting both hard and recreational drugs misuse.
The content of this plan has been shared with your local Council and they have been encouraged to contribute to its achievement. It has also been shared with the Wrexham South Community Safety Group.
Drugs misuse impacts on our communities generally in two ways. Addiction often forces users to commit crime to support their habit, whilst recreational drugs particularly when combined with intoxicants can generate anti-social or violent behaviour. Both forms of drug abuse can have serious medical implications to the user and a devastating impact on families. This plan aims to address the various aspects of the problem. The public need to see positive action taken by the police and their partner agencies in their area to tackle the problem, but also want to know more. This plan aims to tackle the problem by :-
1. Actively targeting dealers and their associates.
2. Increasing both police and community intelligence to help direct the plan.
3. Awareness sessions amongst the public to demonstrate the dangers and signs of drugs misuse.
4. Positive media coverage highlighting police activity in your area in a balanced an informative manner to help reduce the fear of crime often generated by shock headlines in the national media.
5. Reduce demand by providing support to users trying to deal with their addiction and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
I wish you all a safe and Happy Christmas.
Inspector Lisa Surridge.
|
-
As the Territorial Inspector for Wrexham South I would like to give you the following information:
The Policing Priorities for 2009 – 2110 have now been set as follows:
We have listened to you and this year we aim to
- Give people with whom we come into contact a higher quality of service
- Improve the safety of children, young people and other vulnerable people
- Improve the prevention, investigation and detection of serious and violent crime
- Provide a highly visible community policing service
- Reduce levels of alcohol related anti-social behaviour
In addition you will no doubt have heard about the highly publicised Policing Pledge.
WE PROMISE TO:-
1. Treat you fairly with dignity and respect ensuring you have fair access to our services.
2. Let you know who your dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team is and how to contact them.
3. Ensure your Neighbourhood Policing Team and other police patrols are visible on your patch when they will be most effective and when you say you most need them.
4. Respond to every message directed to your Neighbourhood Policing Team within 24 hours.
5. Aim to answer 999 calls within 10 seconds, attend emergencies immediately, give an estimated time of arrival and get to you as quickly as possible.
6. Answer all non-emergency calls promptly.
7. Hold regular public meetings to agree your priorities, giving you a chance to meet your local team with other members of your community.
8. Provide monthly updates on progress, and on local crime and policing issues.
9. If you have been a victim of crime we will agree with you how often you would like to be kept informed of progress in your case.
10. Strive to acknowledge any dissatisfaction with the service you have received within 4 hours of reporting it to us but in any case within 24 hours.
11. We are committed to providing a genuine language choice for our customers and we will ensure that the Welsh and English languages have an equal status in all our dealings with the public.
We want to do our best for you. If we fail to meet our Pledge we will always explain why it has not been possible to deliver the high standards to which we aspire and you deserve.
For full details of the Policing Pledge go to
www.north-wales.police.uk
It is important to us in Wrexham South to ensure you our public are satisfied with the service we provide.
This includes adhering to this pledge. Please contact me via e mail if there are any issues you would like to discuss or for me to be aware of.
Update
In the South Wrexham District we saw an increase of crime in the first half of last year and following a dedicated and structured response we saw crime begin to fall. This trend has continued and we are now at a point where overall crime has reduced by 3.2% compared to this time last year. The same can be said of the numbers of crimes we are detecting. At our year end in April we had detected 35% of all crime which contributed to North Wales Police being one of the top performing Forces in the UK. Already this year we have increased the number of crimes detected by nearly 10% on this time last year, an improvement I will endeavour to sustain or even improve as the year goes on.
The South Wrexham area covers approximately 150 square miles with a population of approximately 41, 500. It is largely rural with several large suburban towns and villages, not to mention iconic landmarks and attractions. Balancing the needs of our rural and suburban communities is very important and that is why we have Neighbourhood Policing Teams dedicated to responding to the needs of you as an individual. Through continued consultation with your town, community, parish councils and elected members no community is overlooked. The area also borders 2 other Force boundaries which causes us to be ever vigilant to travelling criminals, officers patrol the extremities of the area late at night and in the early hours often in conjunction with officers from West Mercia and Cheshire. This is just one example of our activity which often goes unseen but all contributes to making the Wrexham South area a safe place to live, work and visit.
Inspector Lisa Surridge
|
-
I am PCSO 2532 Martin Griffiths of North Wales Police covering Ruabon & Penycae South if you have any issues or concerns regarding Crime or Anti Social Behaviour within this area please feel free to contact me on the numbers provided.
I am part of a Policing Team which in total is 3 officers which works closely with local schools & Business and the community as a whole, to make positive steps to ensure everyone has the right to go about their daily life in a safe environment.
Working closely with our partnership agencies we strive to overcome local issues and deliver a service which You the community expect of us, Communication, Teamwork and Action will take us forward
|
-
I am Pc 2264 Chris James and I am the current Community Beat Officer for Cefn Mawr, Plas Madoc and also Llangollen Rural.
I have worked for North Wales Police for 6 years and have been in post at Cefn Mawr for 3 years. Also based in the Cefn Mawr Police station and responsible for covering the area are a further CBM and 4 Police Community Support Officers. I can be contacted via the force control room on 0845 607 1002 (English speakers) 0845 607 1001 (welsh speakers), via my work mobile phone 07854394685 or via e/mail on chris.james@nthwales.pnn.police.uk.
|
-
I am Ben Madeley PCSO for the Esclusham Ward. Esclusham covers the area of Rhostyllen, Bersham, Legacy, Llwyneinion and Aberoer. Since starting in Esclusham in April of this year I have taken part in several initiatives for the ward. As a neighborhood policing team we have set up a monthly meeting for residents for the rural area of the patch covering Aberoer, Llwyneinion and Legacy. Actions taken from these meetings have led me to visit several residences and take photographs of their personal belongings and upload them onto a force database. Also we have started using a property identifying kit called SMART WATER. This marks property and gives it a DNA code enabling us to identify the item if it is stolen.
I have introduced myself to local shopkeepers and also visit the local Primary school on a regular basis acquainting myself with the majority of the pupils. When you do see me around Esclusham, please feel free to approach me with any issue's that you would like to discuss and I will be only too happy to assist you in whatever way I can.
Should you wish to contact me then you can do so either by phone on 07854 332450 or email Ben.Madeley@nthwales.pnn.police.uk. However if you are unable to contact me then please contact the force control room on 0845 607 1002 if the matter is not of an urgent nature. If there is a requirement for the Police to respond immediately then dial 999.
|
-
After Leaving University of Wales Bangor in 2005 I became a Community Warden based in Rhyl. I joined North Wales Police in February 2007 as a PCSO based in Chirk.
The role is thoroughly enjoyable, having a part in reducing crime as well as taking part in key community activities. (including having my legs waxed, raising money for Pentre School on the 14th November 08 at 1500, to which everyone is invited). As the dark nights draw in, we would like to ask everyone to be extra vigilant as we run up to Christmas. Ensuring all valuables are taken out of motor vehicles, and all out buildings are adequately secured and protected.
|
-
I am PC Danny Cullen. I grew up in the village of Chirk and was educated at Ysgol Dinas Bran, Llangollen. My employment straight from school consisted of a background in various Industrial/engineering roles before in 1998 I joined North Wales police.
I spent my first two and a half years working in Wrexham Town as a response officer. I was then posted to Rhos and after a short spell working with the Community Police Team I transferred to an Area car role.
In April 2004 having applied for the role I was posted to Chirk and took on the role of CBM.
|
-
I have been working here for 6 months. Prior to joining North Wales Police, I was employed by the Education Department as a teaching assistant,working in High school and in the primary sector. I am bilingual in English and Welsh. My main role as a PCSO is high visible patrols and engaging with the public.
I am responsible for juvenille anti - social behaviour, and aim to target the problem areas.
I welcome any intelligence submissions or suggestions, which will be dealt in the strictess confidence.
I can be contacted via the force control room on 0845 607 1002 or the welsh line 0845 607-1001.
My blackberry no 07854331848 or E mail Helen.Hughes@ nthwales.pnn.police.uk. If there is a requirement for the police to respond immediately, then please dial 999.
|
-
I joined North Wales Police in 1998 and worked in the Central Division as an operational officer, transferring to Deeside in the Eastern Division in 2001. I later formed part of a newly created interview team based in Mold before being promoted to the South Wrexham area as an operational sergeant in 2004. I took on the role of Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant in November 2006.
It is very easy these days for a police officer to become 'blinkered' with simply catching the criminals, after all that's why we all join the police service! However, North Wales Police has evolved massively and provides far more services and support available to the public, but more importantly and probably the biggest change is that North Wales Police will readily adapt what is offerred to suit the needs of our diverse communities. This is where my role firmly sits - right between catching criminals and providing you with a quality service that responds to your needs, making you feel safe and reassured. Local research tells me that we get it right nearly all of the time. In Wrexham South we aim to get it right all of the time, when we fall below your expectations tell me about it and I will fix it, and tell you when it is fixed.
The South Wrexham team consists of the Inspector, Sergeants, Response Constables, Community Beat Constables, Police Community Support Officers, Special Constables, and a raft of support functions and specialists within the Eastern Division that we can call upon to help deal with your particular circumstance. The team is extended by solid inter-agency partnerships we have formed over the years. The Wrexham South Community Safety Group meet once a month bringing together the police, partner agencies and local elected members to put in place appropriate responses to the needs of the community, continually making an already comparatively safe South Wrexham even safer. Between us we can help anyone who needs assistance, all you need to do is tell me about it! This site gives you the opportunity to communicate with local officers and therefore help direct the service we provide to your community.
|
-
I would like to start by introducing myself. I am Inspector Lisa Surridge, I am the District Inspector for Wrexham South.
The areas which I am responsible for are shown in the below map
I joined the police in 1993 and the first 10 years of my service were with Greater Manchester Police. In 2003 I transferred to North Wales Police as a Sergeant where I worked in Wrexham Town, before moving to Headquarters. In April 2008 I started my role as Territorial Inspector for South Wrexham. The majority of my service has been as an operational uniformed officer.
The idea of this site is that it is specific to the area which I am responsible for and that you the public live in and it will be an excellent opportunity for us to share information, keep you informed and engage in debate. I will be encouraging the use of this site by my Neighbourhood Policing Team and would extend that encouragement to the public because for it to work we all need to participate. In the long term this will assist us in improving our service to you the public and ensuring that we address your problems
|
-
Lots of things really, but more than anything it means working together to resolve the problems that matter to you. No longer is it acceptable for the police to turn up with statistics that tell you what we think your problems are, we need to listen to your concerns and do our best to act promptly to resolve them.
Key to success therefore, is you having confidence in working with us. This starts with you knowing who we are! At public meetings I illustrate how we structure local policing by drawing a comparison with our colleagues in the health service:
To begin with, ask yourself if you can name your local GP? Most people can, and this is because your Doctor gets to know you over time & understands your problems and is someone you can relate to. This in the police environment is your local Community Beat Manager (CBM), & he/she has specific neighbourhoods to manage as part of a small team. These neighbourhoods are made up of two or three wards and the officer is ‘contracted’ to stay in the area for a couple of years. The whole of the neighbourhood policing programme is very much dependent upon these officers and the relationships they build within your community.
In the last 12 months though, a new type of officer has made a huge impact upon our ability to have a presence in your community, the Police Community Support Officer PCSO). In ‘Health’ terms, these are our Practise Nurses who support the local GP or in our case, the CBM’s. The PCSO’s have responsibility for a single council ward working within the Neighbourhood Policing Teams and deal with such issues as anti social behaviour, environmental problems (litter/Graffiti/dog fouling) and traffic. Again, the PCSO’s need to get to know you and the community in general to do their job properly, they are approachable and keen to take an interest. As is the case with the CBM’s, talk to them whenever you get the chance, tell them what concerns you, get their mobile number & e-mail address so you can contact them, communication is the key to success.
Of course it’s not all about a small team. Supporting them behind the scenes and providing the 24/7 cover in all our communities, are the response officers, our ‘paramedics/ambulance drivers who are there to deal with emergencies of all kinds and at all times. I could extend the analogy with the Health Service further to our consultants, our CID officers for example, but I hope you get the picture!
So what are the benefits of having local knowledge if we don’t see results? Over the next few weeks we will be detailing some of the outcomes of how this local knowledge benefits the community. The over riding principle for me is to prevent crime from happening. Clearly anyone subject of a crime demands a quality investigation and big part of my role is to ensure that happens, but every member of the public I have ever spoken to in 27 years of policing would rather the crime not happen in the first place, than for the offender to be caught afterwards! So the Neighbourhood Policing Teams look to determine the causes behind why problems occur & engage with you, as a member of our public, and our partner agencies from Local Government the voluntary & private sectors, to prevent the problems in the first place.
Current examples of this include the young people of Johnstown who have just received an award from the Lord Lieutenant of Clwyd’s Crime Beat campaign for their efforts in tackling anti-social behaviour and the Licensees of the Plas Madoc/Cefn/Llangollen Rural areas who have come together to launch the Dee Valley Pub Watch to deter & address problems linked to alcohol in the lead up to Christmas, the new year & beyond. Just two examples of so much work that goes on behind the scenes to improve the quality of life where you live.
|
|
|
|