Community safety news

Use this page to find out about community safety news, events and projects.

Hate Crime

Are you concerned about hate crime? If so, we have produced a helpful information sheet which has various contacts you can refer to for advice and support. See below.

CCTV Lay Visitor Annual Public Meeting

Everyone is welcome to come along to the Annual Public Meeting of the CCTV Lay Visitor Panel. The meeting will take place on Monday 13th February at 7pm in the Council Chamber, Wycombe District Council, Queen Victoria Road, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP11 1BB. The Panel will report on the progress of the CCTV service and will be able to answer any questions raised from the floor.

Make your mark on your new gadgets

Wycombe District Council and Thames Valley Police are launching a series of "make your mark" events around the Wycombe district, aimed at encouraging local residents to make a note of serial numbers and security mark any new or expensive gadgets or equipment that they received over the festive season.

At each of the free partnership events, police officers and Wycombe District Council Community Safety Officers will be on hand to security-mark any items that local people bring along, including bikes, sat navs, laptops, smart phones and mp3 players. They will have a variety of marking methods to hand, including CREmark and UV pens.

Starting on Friday 27 January, the events will run until March:

• Friday 27 January 11am to 1pm, Wycombe District Council reception area, High Wycombe
• Saturday 4 February 10am to 2pm, Tesco Princes Risborough
• Thursday 9 February 1 to 3pm, Marlow Garden Centre
• Saturday 11 February 10am to 12midday, Toad Hall Garden Centre, Fawley
• Thursday 1 March 11am to 1pm, Briants of Princes Risborough
• Saturday 3 March 11am to 1pm, Briants of Princes Risborough
• Wednesday 7 March 11am to 1pm, Nottcutts Garden Centre, Booker

Cllr Katrina Wood, Wycombe District Council's Cabinet Member for Community, commented: "Mobile phones, mp3 players, bikes and sat navs are not only popular gift ideas, but are also popular with thieves. A little time spent adding a security-mark could save time in the run by making it much easier to returning any lost or stolen goods. We would also encourage residents to register any expensive items on the National Property Register website at www.immobilise.com (Link opens in a new window).

In conjunction with the "make your mark" events, Wycombe District Council is running a competition to win one of ten security themed goody boxes. Each goody box will include padlocks, timer switches, personal alarms, purse cables, safe cans and shed alarms. For residents to be in with a chance of winning one these boxes, all they have to do is answer the following question: How much does it cost to create a private and secure record of your property on www.immobilise.com (Link opens in a new window) - the UK's national property register?

"Am I Safe?" - Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Safety Scheme

Am I Safe?' is a free mobile phone application, rolled out by the Nightsafe partnership in Wycombe district in time for the festive period. If you use taxis or private hire vehicles then this is for you.

The 'Am I Safe?' system answers the question 'Am I Safe, getting into this vehicle?' or, from the driver's point of view, 'Am I safe, with these passengers in my vehicle?' Now live and running locally in this area, the app is designed to improve the safety of passengers and drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles in the Wycombe District. The 'Am I Safe?' application is free and available for anyone to use.

Accessible on any Smartphone (iPhone, Android or BlackBerry) the 'Am I Safe?' app allows you to enter the registration number of the taxi/minicab you are about to get in to, and it will tell you whether the vehicle is licensed or not and the type of licence it holds - either a private hire which is bookable only or a taxi which you can hail on the street.

'Am I Safe?' then creates a 'footprint' of the registration search you make and stores the time, location, registration, and your username - making you traceable quickly if something were to happen. It can also send a copy of this information to your nominated friends and family by email if you want it to.

At the same time, the licensed driver (assuming he or she is registered) will get an email with your username only, so they know that if anything happens to them (or you) the journey is traceable.
The 'Am I Safe?' service is free to use, it's traceable and makes people accountable. It can help to protect people from the risks of taking an unlicensed cab. The service also helps the council, as the licensing authority to help to track down unlicensed vehicles and investigate any problems.

Unlike most mobile apps, 'Am I Safe?' is web-based and can be accessed via any Smartphone simply by visiting the 'Am I Safe?' website (link at the bottom of the page) using your mobile. Like a traditional app, you can add a button or bookmark to this app on your mobile phone navigation screen.

Nightsafe partners work together to tackle the complex issues around having a safe night out in our District. To find out more about the partnership, please visit the Nightsafe link below.

Community Champions - Street Dreams are Community Safety Award Winners

Over 80 community champions were thanked for their outstanding contribution to Wycombe at the Community Champion Awards on 2 November.

In addition to a reception for everyone nominated for an award and an exhibition showcasing local voluntary and community groups, the short-listed nominees and overall winners of each of the five award categories were announced. The winners of the five awards - who each received a £500 cheque, a year's gym membership to a district leisure centre and a personalised front page of the Bucks Free Press - each demonstrated that they had contributed to the community and promoted inclusion, equality and the idea of working together to achieve positive results.

The Community Safety Partnership sponsors an award and we were delighted to award it to Street Dreams.

Street Dreams is a charity that acts as an extended family to disadvantaged, disengaged and disruptive young people to help them achieve a sustainable positive life. It is run by people who have all experienced challenging circumstances in their teenage years, but have been able to turn their lives around with support from Street Dreams. The Charity aims to motivate and elevate up people so that the community becomes a better place to live in.

Inspector Tim McGirr presents Street Dreams with their award

 

Community Safety Priorities - have your say

Wycombe Community Safety Partnership is made up of organisations working together to improve community safety in the District. Each year the Partnership produces a Community Safety Partnership Plan which sets out the priorities for improving safety and how the Partnership will do this.

An online survey has been produced which is your opportunity to let us know whether we have identified the right priorities for 2012/13 and which are most important to you - it's also your opportunity to tell us about your experiences of community safety.

The results of this survey will influence the work the Partnership will undertake next year. A summary of the results will be put onto the Wycombe District Council website within the Community Safety Section in April 2012. This questionnaire will run from Friday 18 November 2011 to Friday 10 February 2012.

International White Ribbon Day

In December 1999, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The White Ribbon Campaign was subsequently launched to encourage government, businesses and community groups across the world to raise awareness of violence against women.

Violent crime such as domestic abuse, abusive relationships, sexual assault and rape continue to be prevalent around the world, affecting the lives of millions of people. Harmful attitudes and beliefs are an important part of the problem.

The White Ribbon is now acknowledged internationally as a symbol of the elimination of violence against women and girls across the world. Wearing a white ribbon is seen as a personal pledge "never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women".

White ribbons will be available from Wycombe District Council reception during the week commencing 21 November.

For help, advice or more information call the 24 hr National Domestic Violence Helpline 08082 000 247, or to report a crime call Thames Valley Police 101 (always dial 999 in an emergency).

New Non Emergency number for the Police

Thames Valley Police went live with the new 101 number on 14th November. The new national single non-emergency number replaces the 0845 8 505 505 number. Both numbers will run side by side until the end of March 2012, but if demand for the 0845 8 505 505 number drops it may be discontinued earlier.

Calls to 101 (from both landlines and mobile networks) cost 15 pence per call, no matter what time of day the call is made, or the duration of the call. Therefore, everyone calling the police for non-emergency matters will now know exactly how much a call will cost them, and can be assured of equal access whether they are on a pay-as-you-go mobile or a home land line

The routing will be based on the same system as 999 calls. If a caller is using a land line the routing will be based on the caller's postcode and the call will be directed to the police force for that area. If a caller is using a mobile, the call will route using the mast that the phone is transmitting from.

Anti-Social Behaviour Questionnaire

Anti-social behaviour can have a major impact on individual victims as well as the wider community. Understanding your experiences of anti-social behaviour can help us ensure we are effectively dealing with and preventing anti-social behaviour in your area. To complete a short questionnaire on your experiences, please go to ASB Questionnaire

Latest CSI Newsletter - Winter 2012

The latest CSI-Wycombe Newsletter is attached below. Please let us know what you think and what you would like to see in future editions. The next one will be produced in April 2012.

Teenage relationship abuse

Do you know if your teenager is in an abusive relationship? The answer may surprise you. While we may think that our children could never be affected, the truth is that abuse occurs surprisingly frequently in teenage relationships. Nearly 75% of girls have reported some sort of emotional partnership violence*.
But even more worrying are teenagers' attitudes towards the problem - young people are surprisingly tolerant of violence in relationships. One in five young men and one in ten young women think that abuse or violence against women is acceptable.
Abuse in relationships can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender or family situations. It can happen to boys as well as teenagers in same sex relationships.
Last month the Home Office launched their teenage relationship abuse campaign which aims to prevent teenagers from becoming victims and perpetrators of abusive relationships. The campaign encourages teenagers to rethink their views of acceptable violence, abuse or controlling behaviour in relationships and directs them to places for help and advice.
A new website has been developed (www.direct.gov.uk/thisisabuse) which gives teens the chance to discuss the issues with their peers and get access to third party support and advice. There will also be on line discussion forums during the campaign which will be supported by agencies such as Women's Aid, Against Violence and Abuse, Respect - men's advice line and Broken Rainbow.
For local agencies who can support those affected by domestic abuse, please go to www.wycombe.gov.uk/communitysafety.

* NSPCC Partner exploitation and violence in teenage intimate relationships (Sept 09)

Community Safety Shop Closes

After nearly two years we have to report the sad demise of the Community Safety Shop in the Chiltern Centre. The Shop was started by the Bucks Fire and Rescue Service and has been supported by NHS Buckinghamshire, Wycombe District Council, Thames Valley Police, Neighbourhood Watch, Buckinghamshire County Council and the Drug and Alcohol Action Team to name but a few.

Over the time we had the shop, numerous campaigns have run from there - we have even had a few cars brought in at various times to help us with our road safety messages. Lounges, kitchens and bedrooms, along with garden sheds have all had the fire treatment to show what the impacts might be if a fire takes place. We have had coffee mornings and tables for children to do some drawing.

We have taken hundreds of names and addresses so the Fire Service could visit and fit free smoke detectors and we have made lots of referrals to our Safer Homes Schemes for our more vulnerable residents.

We would like to say a BIG thank you to all of those who came in regularly to support us but our thanks go particularly to the Fire Service for their hard work in keeping the shop going and also to the Chiltern Centre for their valued and continuing support for Community Safety.

Community Safety Team and Neighbourhood Watch Twitter

There are now two more Twitter addresses you can follow which will keep you in touch with what is going on locally in respect to crime, crime prevention and events at which our team will be present.

For our Community Safety Team you can follow us by using @wycombedcbesafe

For Wycombe District Neighbourhood Watch Association - you can follow them by using @WDNHW

CCTV Newsletter

The latest newsletter from CCTV covering the period from January to June 2011, is attached below. We hope you find it a useful and informative read.

Advice and support for friends and family of victims of domestic abuse.

To mark International Friendship Day, Thames Valley Police in partnership with local councils in Buckinghamshire are offering friends and family of domestic abuse victims the information and advice they may need in the form of a new booklet.

For further information please see the related news item in the right hand pane.

Number plate theft

Number plate theft has been on the increase in Thames Valley. In 2007, over 40,000 sets were stolen nationally, so it's becoming a big problem.

Stolen number plates are allowing people to get away with several offences, including:

• Driving away from petrol stations without paying ('bilking').
• Dodging the London congestion charge.
• Evading speed camera fines.

Fines are often sent to the innocent owner of a vehicle which had its number plates stolen. Cars with stolen number plates are often used as getaway vehicles in more serious crimes.

All UK police forces are working together to combat number plate theft.

You can view a Thames Valley Police crime reduction clip on YouTube by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

Wycombe receives praise for community safety work

Following the success Wycombe had in winning the national Safer Communities Award in February 2010, a visit recently took place by Mark Du Val, Director of Policy for the Local Government Regulation. Mark Du Val was shown many of the different examples we have of working together as a Partnership with the community. He visited the Well Being event taking place at the Hub and spoke to several of our partners before visiting the Community Safety Shop in the Chiltern Centre. He was very impressed with the work and loved the idea of the shop, wishing they had one in his own area!

 

 

 

Mr Du Val said "a very big thank you for last Friday's visit to see some of the excellent work Wycombe DC and partners have been delivering locally. It was very impressive and I can see why you were worthy winners. I only hope that at this challenging time, the benefits of continuing the partnership will be fully recognised by all and the valuable work can be sustained and grow."

Nightsafe Website

Nightsafe is a multi-agency partnership which includes Thames Valley Police, Wycombe District Council and Bucks Drug and Alcohol Action Team along with Wycombe Watch. Working together, we aim to ensure that Wycombe and the surrounding areas are fun, but safe places for a night out for everyone.
Nightsafe has now launched its exciting new website www.nightsafewycombe.org (External website, link opens in a new window)

This is a one-stop resource for everything to do with having a fun and safe night out in the Wycombe district. Here you can find information on some of the best places to go, things to do and even how to get there.
There is also straight-talking advice on the subjects of drugs and alcohol; in addition to useful tips on personal safety.

Tell us what else you would find useful on this website. You can email Nightsafe on nightsafe@wycombe.gov.uk

Crimestoppers launches number plate theft campaign

A new Thames Valley Crimestoppers campaign urges the public to help solve number plate theft by providing the charity with information on who is stealing them and why.

Stolen plates are often used to commit more serious offences such as 'bilking' (driving away from petrol stations without paying), evading parking charges or speeding fines, or to change the identity of another stolen car.

Community Messaging

Would you like to receive information about your local area from Thames Valley Police? If so, sign up to Community Messaging...

Please see the document below for details of this scheme which will show you how to set up Community Messaging.

Once set up you can receive regular updates from your local Police. This may include:

• Witness appeals, which may include photos/E-fits
• Crimes which may affect your neighbourhood, along with advice on how to prevent yourself becoming a victim
• Action the police and/or partner agencies have taken to combat crime e.g. ASB orders, community initiatives, offences brought to justice.
• Upcoming Have Your Say meetings
• Emerging incident information (such as flooding or a large fire) and advice on what to do (e.g. locations to collect fresh water or sandbags).

CCTV

The latest newsletter for CCTV can be found in the CCTV section of the our website.