1 Thel Law The newspaper of Essex Police Issue 332 June 2001 Preparing to reduce the rate ofalcohol related crime SOBERING STRATEGY ALCOHOL accounts for next crime reduction strategies for help and resources. pilot schemes in the middle of next over two thirds of crime 2002105. Public drunkeness appears to be year and they will be in the form of by ~~~th~~watts Three key objectives have been created by a binge drinking culture fied penalty notices to adults for and disorder nationally. identified, to reduce underage and mass turn out times. listed penalty offences including Indeed, forty per cent of drinking, reduce public drunkeness Essex Police can target identified drunkeness, damage and public With nearly half of all prisoners domestic and prevent alcohol related violence. trouble spots and street drinking order offences. seeing alcohol as a contributory Reducing underage drinking may where it is shown to be a problem. Information sharing on trouble incidents in Essex involve factor in their offending behaviour it be by enforcement using existing makers through schemes such as alcohol. is important that alcohol crime is laws, tightened by the Criminal Disorderly Pubwatch is recommended and bar ~h~~~ appalling facts are fully reflected in local crime and Justice and Police Act 2001. Alcohol Radical new proposals may mean and door staff should be encouraged disorder strategies. mirrored locally and will be The can be confiscated from young that following a disorderly night out to engage in more active Community Safety people in public and proof of age drinkers spending a night in the su~emision. by Essex in Department is working closely with schemes should be used more widely. cells could wake up with an Door staff registration in Essex of a Strategy, licensing officers and divisions in The successful 2 Smart 4 Drugs immediate fixed penalty fine as well seeks to reduce disorder in pubs and which has identified the best support of crime reduction roadshow now contains an element as a hangover. clubs. strategic approach to deal with the partnerships to tackle alcohol of education about alcohol and the On the spot penalties will not The Brewers and Licensed problem. related crime and disorder in their Health Education Authority offers come on line until after national Retailers Association are keen on -- - - getting representatives to the crime partnership table and support can be given to them on preventative good practice. Community Safety's Sgt Jo Hadley said: "If local crime reduction strategies to tackle alcohol crime include the above elements then we will have gone a long way to reducing much crime associ- ated with alcohol." For staff requiring further information, and links to useful web sites, look at the intranet. hl.. .... C;hallengng targets set U CHIEF Constable David Stevens welcomes the finalisation of service level agreements for headquarters departments which will be published shortly. He said: "Our Policing Plan and Service Charter set out the standards which our external customers can expect from Essex Police. In just the same way, service level agreements set out the standards which the internal customers of support departments can expect. "The hard-edged targets included in the agreements are challenging and it will be important to monitor our progress against them." 2 THE LAW, JUNE 2001 Health and safety is a key focus in Federation review Partnership to Taking no risks be commended THE National Federation has organised a seminar at which all 43 By now, all divisions and in a position to perform one of our CONGRATULATIONS to the reviewed the way in which forces of England and Wales were departments should have established functions, i.e. to investigate an Metropolitan Police Trade information is passed from and represented, together with Health and Safety Sub-Committees incidenvaccident and report, if Union side. A partnership to the centre and also the level representatives from Scottish forces and Committees. If a matter cannot necessary, to the H.S.E. Essex Police agreement between has been of training given to individual who are way in front of us south of be resolved locally or at divisional has rejeded this idea. Management, signed by the Metropolitan representatives. One of the the border as far as health and safety level, then the problem can be both senior and middle, do not Police and its support staff areas looked at related to goes. referred to the force Health and understand our role in health and employees. Commissioner, health and safety; As a result of that seminar. each Safety Committee via your safety. Sir John Stevens, said: "The This is an area which affects each force was asked to nominate an representatives. The force committee To simplifL our respective Met is a constantly evolving and every one of us every day of our individual to act as a health and comprises: functions: organisation, predicting and working lives. When things go safety leader, who would become a ACO Support Risk assessment is a responding to ever changing wrong, the consequences to our liaison between each Joint Branch Insurance officer management function and equates to demands. To be successN it Board and the National Federation. Corporate Support rep responsibility and liability; membership and the public alike requires a genuine partner- could be loss of life, serious injury In the case of Essex, I have been Facilities Manager Our role, that of the staff ship approach hmstaff and through to minor injury or what is chosen as that representative, with Police Federation rep associations, Unison, etc., which termed 'near miss' (more on that Ross Luke of the Constables' Branch Food Services Adviser includes you as individuals, is management." Unison sub- later). Board acting as my deputy. Employee Relations Manager assessment of risk, which means mitted a similar proposal in It is, therefore, vital that we get In that role my function will be to Programme & Policy Support rep safety. 1998. The resulting manage- things right, by ensuring that proper co-ordinate our Joint Branch Board Occ Health & Welfare Manager At present, there is believed to be a ment document undermined training and equipment is provided approach to the subject and ensure Unison rep substantial under-reporting of the existing collective bar- and ensuring that risk assessments that your representatives are kept up Divisional Admin managers rep accidents. It is important that you gaining and recognition are carried out and are updated as to date and fully trained in health Health and Safety Adviser report injuries, accidents and 'near agreements and frustrated required. Having said that, and safety matters. An operational manager misses'. If you fail to have the the process. We are ready to responsibility for health and safety It is our intention to retrain those A support manager incident recorded, you may well find co-operate - is Essex Police? does not just rest with management Representatives who have undergone The Joint Branch Board Health yourself having difficulty at some Decriminalisation - We or Federation representatives. Each training some time ago and arrange and Safety Sub-Committee meets later date if you tried to make a appreciate the concerns of and every one of you has a role to initial training for the new prior to the force meeting to discuss claim. members who feel that they play. This can be by ensuring that representatives who have joined the the force health and safety agenda With regard to a 'near miss', this is are not being dealt with you use the equipment issued, e.g. Separate Branch Boards. We intend, and to raise, and hopefully resolve, an incident which could have promptly. We are working on wearing body armour. Health and via the National Federation, to have any issues. resulted in harml~njury,but on this this issue and hope to be able safety is everyone's responsibility. If that training accredited by IOSH The National 'Leaders' Group will occasion didn't - next time, it may to update you officially in due you are aware of an unsafe practice, (Institution of Occupational Safety meet twice a year, the next occasion well do so! Near miss reports help to course. dangerous piece of equipment, unsafe and Health - a nationally recognised being October 2001. identify bad practice, together with Individual learning building or procedure, let someone organisation). As part of that I have developed an Incident faulty or dangerous equipment. accounts This is an know about it. Do not leave it to training, your representatives will Investigation Protocol that would Remember. Highlight the - someone else to report. have to submit themselves to a enable the force to inform us of dangers, inform colleagues, avoid initiative of the government's The National Federation recently written examination. serious incidents so that we would be accidents. Lifelong Learning Strategy and provides financial assistance for you to afford to take up further education courses. For a Unison leaflet please contact the branch office. Take part -- Complete a picture today Federation unveils its celebrations j IF you have ever been on an policies for policing Outward -Bound course or AT the National Police Federation Conference, Chairman, involved with the charity Fred Broughton said: "It is time to stop letting crime pay organisers in any way they I and make policing prosper." want to hear from you, not He also declared that the Party forming the next administration must increase police numbers to 140,000 by only to include you in their the year 2004 to tackle crime effectively, although he Roll of Honour but also to recognised that even an enlarged police force would require invite you to participate in supplementary policing and advocated a stronger reserve their 60th anniversary .. support from the Special Constabulary.