Verbal update by local Police Officers on Policing Issues within the Area.
Minutes:
It is noted that whilst the ward boundaries and area committee groupings have changed, the Police continue to maintain their own boundaries, including for data collection as Dunkirk and Lenton, and Wollaton East Lenton Abbey.
Police inspector Riz Khan provided the following updates related to the police activity for the period between April and December:
Dunkirk and Lenton Area
a) Overall crime is down by 40 offences;
b) victim-based crime is down by 67 offences;
c) violence with injury is reduced by 18 offences;
d) there were 21 fewer burglaries during this period;
e) hate crime has risen due to an increase in reports of verbal abuse;
Wollaton East and Lenton Abbey
f) overall crime is slightly up by seven offences;
g) victim placed crime is up by 16 offences
h) there has been a 35% reduction in violence with injury;
i) antisocial behaviour was down by 16 offences criminal damage was up by 20 offences;
In general
j) There had been a spate of catalytic converter thefts, mainly from Toyota cars ;
k) as a result of ‘operation folktale’, which target rate targeted drug dealers operating within the city are predominantly around Nottingham University Nottingham Trent University, seven people have been charged with drug offences including class a and class B drugs;
l) 3 PCSOs accompanied six student champions, accompanied by Jacob collier and Julian Best, visited a total of 246 houses in the area, engaging with residents and students, providing advice and information on security and crime prevention;
m) police continue to work with universities on ‘operation universal’ which started in October, to tackle student antisocial behaviour including late-night noise;
n) further funding from the Home Office has been received for operation Scorpion, to combat knife crime;
o) in October local police held a priority setting consultation identified three top priorities serious violent crime, burglary-dwelling, and drugs and ASB. Plans are now in place to focus on these crimes with further information available on the police area website.
Police inspector James Walker, responsible for the city south area, provided an updates on the Meadows Policing area:
p) Overall crime was up by 5.8%;
q) with no change number of violence with injury incidents;
r) robbery increased by 10 incidents;
s) there were seven more incidents of burglary;
t) two offenders aged 12 and 13 years old were charged with offences against children of similar age;
u) two burglaries during December been attributed to one offender has been identified and will be dealt with;
v) priority setting consultation identified three top priorities serious violent crime, aggressive crime, and drugs. Plans are now in place to focus on these crimes with further information available on the police area website;
w) a warrant was executed in Lamcote Gardens regarding a cannabis grow with drugs recovered from a property in Kelso Gardens;
x) with regard to drug issues around telephone boxes, BT have stated that they will not remove them as they have a responsibility to provide the service, but police are considering civil action;
y) there are some changes to officers in that PC North has moved to another team but PC Reece Cowlishaw has joined the area. Unfortunately PC Darren White is currently off work injured.
Questions from the committee were responded to as follows:
i. following a recent stabbing in the Meadows an offender has been arrested. It is believed that this is a one-off incident and not part of a series;
ii. drug issues within the Meadows are ongoing but the police are determined to make it as difficult as possible. Visible policing depends on the amount the offices are available at intelligences received that can be acted upon;
iii. with regard to catholic converter thefts it is believed that thieves operating in the area are troubling the region and a profile is being built. Police are working with trading standards engaging with breakers and scrap merchants. Toyota drew offer a clip to fit to prevent such easy removal, but it cost more than the actual exhaust, so is not attractive to many Toyota owners;
iv. the report of drug dealing, taking and drinking around the QMC area will be looked into once further information is provided;
v. The 12 and 13-year-olds started their robberies in July and continued into October but nobody told the Police until October. Once the Police were informed they responded swiftly and children services were called in and reviewed the young people within days. It is understood people were afraid for themselves and their children so didn’t report incidents but it is possible to report individual crime and general criminal activity anonymously (CrimeStoppers 0800 555 111 or online at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information). If the Police are unaware of criminal activity, they cannot respond. It is vital communities to share such information.
A member of the committee expressed overwhelming concern for the Meadows area in the drugs litter and risk to public health appeared to be prevalent. Having to share a Police Inspector and the shortfall in police officers and PCO’s is a huge concern. With the level of issues in the area, residents queried was why Police officers are walking the area in a group of three and therefore providing reduced coverage, instead of as a pair and individually. Inspector James Walker responded that this would be looked into.
Resolved to thank Police Inspectors Riz Khan and James Walker for their attendance and update.