Chiltern Community Forum – 27th November 2019 – The , .

Chair: Andy Garnett

Introduction from Andy Garnett and from the 20 attendees.

Police report – Sergeant Roy Evans (RE), PC Gavin McVeigh (GM), PC Matt Cumming, PCSO Lucy Sandford & PCSO Lucy Groves

From September Community Forum – Top 3

1; Burglary

2; Drug dealing

3; Speeding

Burglary

Area CID review all burglaries and lead on investigations considering forensic and CCTV opportunities.

Victims of burglaries will receive crime prevention advice from NHP. This includes cocooning with neighbours and victims being offered SMARTWATER property marking kits.

Neighbourhood Policing has been tackling burglaries by being involved in a number of cross border operations with other forces targeting criminals whilst they are travelling into our area from predicted locations. The Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NHPT) continue to attend events, conduct Have Your Says (HYS’s) and raise awareness of burglary.

Figures show that Chiltern & South Bucks is the most targeted area in the force area by burglars. In response to this, peak seasonal trend analysis was carried out and the top 6 hotspot locations in Chiltern and South Bucks were identified. Surprisingly figures showed that roads were rarely burgled repeatedly in the same year. Identified areas included Hyde Heath, and . Working with Neighbourhood Watch (NHW), a push was done to get residents of the roads affected by burglaries to join NHW and become more self-resilient. Crime advice was also given to them.

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A number of events have been arranged to promote burglary reduction over the next two months, this will include additional crime advice at local Have Your Say events, commuter events and stalls at the Amersham Christmas Market Event.

Operation Greenbelt took place in September which resulted in 3 people being arrested for various offences, several cars being seized for tax offences and several persons reported for traffic offences.

Operation Go has been running for the past few days. Resources are allocated with High Visibility around Chiltern and South Bucks in order to deter burglars.

All figures are comparing year on year. 2017-2018 and 2018-2019

DWELLING

SHEDS

COMMERCIAL

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Drug dealing and usage

Drug related reports have increased which some may think is a concern but the increase highlights the proactivity with stop searches, arrests, warrants, intelligence development and partnership working.

The Operation Stronghold team is leading the response to County Drug Lines and working with NHPT in safeguarding potential victims of CDL.

Working with the PST, we have managed to obtain numerous closure orders (3 in ) preventing people from visiting vulnerable person’s addresses and preventing suspected criminal activity from continuing.

Neighbourhood Teams have been working on and developing intelligence. Patrols have resulted in a number of stops around Stanley Hill, and Hervines Park in drug usage.

This month Amersham NHPT are currently investigating a cannabis factory following suspicions reported by members of the public into a strange smell. A warrant was executed at an address in Amersham.

In Chesham, Operation GASPER ran over a couple of days tackling drug dealers and users. Many stop searches were conducted, vehicles searched and some persons are currently wanted for failing to stop for police and or obstructing.

Chesham NHPT also ran a 2 day operation within the senior schools of Chesham. We were extremely pleased to see that both schools supported police with enforcement and safeguarding using a drug detection dog. These operations were organised in advance jointly with the schools and police but these did appear to be “spontaneous” towards the students.

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Speeding

At the last meeting Speeding was identified as being one of the communities’ biggest concerns.

Amersham NHPT have been running Operation Glare. This entails NHPT police enforcing traffic related issues.

The following roads were enforced:

Copperkins Lane. Amersham

Chesham Road, Chalfont St Peter

Joiners Lane, Chalfont St Peter

Martinsend Lane, Gt Missenden

Elizabeth Avenue,

Three Households, Chalfont St Giles

Chesham NHPT have also been running speed enforcement days on some of the most “demanding” roads.

Penn Avenue Chesham

Chartridge Lane, Chesham,

Botley, Chesham

Community Speed watches are currently running in the Missendens, Chesham and the Chalfonts and an Amersham scheme is soon to be running. We have been looking at ways in which we can improve the schemes and have purchased for a very reasonable price fake speed enforcement officer signs to enhance the effect of the community Speedwatch events.

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Other Issues

Violence against the person

Chiltern CSP 278 318 14%

Amersham 78 68 -13%

Chalfonts 61 68 11%

Chesham 93 126 35%

Missendens 42 39 -7%

Violence with injury

Serious assault

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Theft from Motor Vehicle

ALL CRIME

There was a brief discussion regarding the letter from Inspector James Ellis which had been circulated at the meeting. As most people had not read it in detail it was left for the next meeting if necessary, and to be placed on the Chiltern Community Forum website.

Question – How do the priorities stack up against real crime? Do they reflect what is going on? RE – burglary definitely does. This would be a top priority for police even if it wasn’t in the priorities of the forum. Speeding, parking and other issues would be dealt with as and when seen and specific operations.

Robert Gibson (RG) – Police UK figures show burglary lower than violence offences.

There was a discussion as to whether the forum should reflect the higher violence against the person figures. Violence offences tend to be less concerning to most people because they do not see it happening to them, whilst burglary is a more realistic concern.

Question – regarding speeding and parking near to Chesham Grammar School in White Hill. The questioner said he repeatedly requested a police presence at the school to deter offenders. He disagreed that speeding was an issue for the community to deal with. RE replied that data strips had been placed on the road in White Hill to measure average speeds, but admitted it was a couple of years ago. It is impossible to carry out manned speed checks on White Hill due the nature of the road.

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Andy Garnet (AG) said that collecting and dropping off of children at schools is a perennial problem around most schools. It is partly a County Council problem due to incorrect signage near the school.

RE – TVP work with all councils to solve problems using both speed cameras, signage and physical deterrents. The speed/safety van has over 300 locations it visits throughout the TVP area. It prioritises where it goes based on accidents and speed offences.

Question - regarding Speedwatch data. There are lots of data from the speed sensors that can be used. She has no contact in TVP to whom she can give the data. RE says he gets data from Chesham and sends it on, and undertook to help questioner identify how similar can be achieved in her area (Missendens).

Question – regarding lack of police in Chesham and closure of police stations. The questioner felt that there was little police presence in Chesham and now that the station has closed they will be even less. He was informed that the police station is still open (not for members of the public) and when it does eventually shut they will still be a police base in Chesham. Police regularly patrol on foot in the town centre.

Priorities survey – Katie Galvin (KG) Community Safety Unit manager CDC. KG gave an explanation of how the survey was distributed and publicised. There were 554 responses this month in the adult survey – the best ever response – and 24 in the youth survey.

• The top 3 concerns across the whole area are also the top 3 priorities for the past quarter – residential burglary, drug dealing and speeding.

• Every single area and the under 18s listed Residential Burglary as their major concern.

• In Amersham area. 9 out of 10 respondents nominated Residential Burglary, and their 2nd and 3rd choices also related to theft.

• In Chesham, Drug Dealing was a strong second concern. For the Missendens it was speeding. The Chalfonts survey reflected recent incidences of Antisocial Behaviour.

• Knife Crime was the number 2 concern for Under 18s. The comments made in the Under 18s’ survey showed considerable anxiety for safety of person and property.

A victim of burglary gave a poignant account of his house being broken into and his wife being threatened and bundled to the floor. The effect on him and his family was enormous.

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General matters – PCSO Groves gave some tips to avoid burglary. An alarm that is monitored, rather than just ringing out; Secure access to the rear of the house; Ensure the house looks occupied; Use accredited security equipment. A list of approved alarm fitters is available on the Chiltern & South Bucks website. Neighbourhood watch membership is a great way of preventing burglaries. If anyone wants to start one contact the council.

Chiltern Community Forum website – RG stated that we had made greater use of posts on local Facebook posts groups, which had seemingly reached more individuals and produced greater responses than our previous focus on Twitter Each area has a specific reason for voting for certain issues as priorities. Chalfont St Peter has had ASB issues, so it becomes a priority, likewise, burglary at Amersham, speeding Missendens and drugs in Chesham.

Priorities The priorities were deciding upon by electronic vote. Burglary Speeding Drug dealing Violence against the person

The next meeting will be in February – date to be decidied.

Chiltern Community Forum website: www.chilterncommunityforum.org

Feedback, ideas, contributions, involvement welcome. Please send all comments to Robert Gibson – [email protected]

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