12th May 2014 Issue 013 Reducing crime and re-offending PCSO to be commended at bravery awards A Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) will While on patrol in Burley-in-Wharfedale in April be awarded a silver medal at the National Police 2013, PCSO Darrin Thompson was alerted to an Public Bravery Awards in June for tackling two ongoing incident at the local post office. PCSO armed robbers. Thompson and his colleague, PC Tim Brown, arrived in a police vehicle and he got out to see what was happening while PC Brown parked the vehicle. PCSO Thompson walked in to the middle of a robbery involving two masked men armed with a lump hammer and a sledgehammer. He leaped on one of the offenders and they grappled on the floor, while the other robber repeatedly hit him in the head with the lump hammer. PC Brown ran in to help and the pair struggled with the violent criminals who tried to fight their way to the getaway car. They managed to handcuff one of the robbers; who had previously been to prison for robbery and since release had committed four violent offences with weapons. The other robber was later caught using DNA. PCSOs are an integral part of our effort to keep communities safer and feeling safer. They patrol neighbourhoods to keep an eye out for known criminals, support victims, engage with community groups, conduct crime enquiries and deal with anti-social behaviour. They work alongside police officers and special constables. You can use the West Yorkshire Police website to contact your local neighbourhood PCSO to speak about local issues and community project. To access the website go to www.westyorkshire.police.uk/npt How West Yorkshire Police is delivering the Police and Crime Plan Reducing crime and re-offending Tackling bogus callers across West Yorkshire Officers from West Yorkshire Police and partner Residents of Ackworth have supported a local agencies are supporting new initiatives across the scheme which is a joint initiative between county, aimed at preventing doorstep crime and Wakefield District Housing, West Yorkshire distraction burglaries. Trading Standards and officers from South East Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT). Action has been taken after reports from residents of a rise in the number of people ‘cold calling’ at Residents in Horsforth, Roundhay, Alwoodley and their homes trying or pretending to sell products. Moortown have also taken a firm approach to this problem. Distraction burglaries involve criminals tricking their way into people’s homes, sometimes wearing Officers from West Yorkshire Police and Trading official looking uniforms or badges. They typically Standards gave advice on how to say no to cold target older or more vulnerable members of callers and residents were treated to a society. performance from Feeling Good Theatre - an acting group who perform sketches on doorstep Residents have signed up to Cold Calling Control crime, rogue traders and distraction burglary. Zones around West Yorkshire. Posters, stickers and signs are on display in participating homes to For further information on Cold Calling Control warn cold callers that if they don’t stay away they Zones please visit could face criminal charges. www.ts.wyjs.org.uk/wyjs-trading-doorstep- crime.asp or telephone the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 08454 04 05 06 1 Reducing crime and re-offending Kirklees Officers target vehicle crime Officers from Kirklees Viper team, the Neighbourhood 64 red diesel checks, seven taxis suspended from use Policing Teams and police volunteers hit the roads in and over a dozen traffic offence tickets issued by Police Huddersfield to crack down on criminals. Officers, Special Constables and partner agencies. Working with partners from Her Majesty’s Court The operation was organised to target criminals, Service and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency engage with members of the public, to distribute road (VOSA) the teams targeted people driving unsafe safety advice and reassure them that local officers are vehicles and wanted offenders who were driving proactively dealing with crime. around the road network. For more information about road safety or to report a The day was a success with 151 cars checked – 76 for crime on the road network in Kirklees call 101, ring outstanding warrants and 75 for vehicle Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or visit roadworthiness. These checks resulted in eight www.westyorkshire.police.uk/kirklees/huddersfield prohibition notices, two fixed penalties for overloading, Business crime prevention days in Bradford Businesses in Tong and Wyke have benefited from a held a walk in surgery on the Euroway Industrial Estate 27% drop in non-domestic burglaries over the past 12 to discuss the security of businesses, buildings and months. vehicles. Two dedicated Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) have been funded by Bradford Council to work specifically with local businesses and help them protect their property and cut crime. PCSO Rebecca Simpson of the Neighbourhood Policing Team arranged three recent crime prevention days, visiting smaller businesses with council partners. PCSO Simpson provided crime prevention advice, forensic marking kits and free data tag property marking kits. She also 2 Reducing anti-social behaviour Officers tackle ASB in Batley Persistent problems with criminal damage and anti social behaviour at Batley Bus Station have been dramatically reduced following banning orders for three local youths. The suspects were arrested, one was charged and two were given a youth caution. All three have been banned from the bus station and one of the youths has also been banned from a local supermarket for theft offences. Officers in Batley have been Special Constables in plain clamping down on anti-social clothes have visited town centre bars that have behaviour, criminal damage experienced a high number of theft offences where and theft in the town centre; uniform patrols have items such as purses, wallets and phones are targeted. resulted in further banning orders for individuals These visits included licensing checks and discussions behaving in an anti-social manner around a fast food with pub and bar owners about how to make their outlet. premises safer for customers. New approach to tackling noise nuisance Excessive noise can make life a misery, and a fresh Two new vehicles staffed by a member of Council staff approach is being taken to reduce this form of anti- and a West Yorkshire Police Community Support social behaviour (ASB) in Leeds. Officers will be patrolling the city responding to calls from the public. The vans have been equipped with On 2nd May Leeds District Policing launched a new new devices to target problem areas much quicker and partnership with Leeds City Council to tackle noise measure the noise being made. nuisance and related anti-social behaviour. They will be out on patrol as late as 4am to target late The Council is responsible for dealing with excessive night parties so that the council can deal with persistent noise that disrupts the lives of individuals and problems very quickly. communities, disrupting the peace and quiet of home and causing intimidation and frustration. To report a noise nuisance in Leeds phone 0113 3950143. This pilot project will bring together police and partners that will tackle noise nuisance and ASB. 3 Supporting victims and witnesses Injunction protects New Wortley residents An injunction has been granted to bar non-residents the residents who have been helping them to from a block of flats – the first of its kind in Leeds. prosecute people who use the flats for criminal purposes. It will last indefinitely unless it is rescinded The injunction prevents non-residents from entering by the courts. the Clyde flats and remaining there, as residents believe this is the cause of a rise in anti-social To date two people have been served with the behaviour and drug taking in the area. Once injunction and signposted to agencies that will assist individuals are served with a warning, the injunction them with drug and alcohol addiction. becomes criminally enforceable should they return. Residents have already reported a reduction in the The injunction was applied for by local officers and number of people wrongly accessing the communal members of the anti-social behaviour team to protect areas of the flats without permission which is making the flats a much nicer place to live. 4 Tackling local, regional and national threats, risk and harm Jail for cannabis farm plotters Two men who grew half a million pounds worth of The officers saw a man emerge from a hole in the floor cannabis behind a secret trapdoor in a disused building along with a flood of light and a strong smell of in Leeds have been jailed for a total of eight years cannabis. They followed him and discovered a four- room cellar filled with cannabis plants. Neighbourhood police officers noticed a strong smell of cannabis and what appeared to be a brand new Robert Dibb and Wayne Ivory were arrested on ventilation chimney on the roof of a disused suspicion of the production engineering works of cannabis. More than in Stanningley. 600 plants were discovered along with a When the officers bin bag full of cannabis forced entry they buds that had been found a large, dusty harvested. The total area containing value of the find was in rubble and old excess of £500,000. furniture. They noticed that the At Leeds Crown Court ventilation chimney Ivory, 42, was sentenced was bricked up and to five years in prison went down into the and Dibb, 52, received a floor, raising three year term. suspicions that plants may be in the cellar. Anyone with suspicions They also noted that about a property on their street should contact their the floor was very warm despite there being no heating local neighbourhood policing team via 101 or call system.