An estate plagued by anti-social behaviour now transformed by the community working with the police and other agencies was today visited by neighbourhood crime and justice adviser Louise Casey.
Ms Casey was in Sandwell in the West Midlands, which was given around £60,000 last year by the government after being named as one of 60 crime and justice pioneer areas, to see how the money is being used to give the public a greater say in how crime in their neighbourhood is tackled.
She visited Tividale neighbourhood, part of which was a former hotspot for anti-social behaviour, which has been turned around thanks to a number of interventions. This included high visibility patrols and regular walkabouts with the community and local agencies to tackle problems.
Meeting community crime fighters
On the estate Ms Casey met local representatives including Rev Dr Peter Haywood of the Oakham Evangelical Church and the chairs of neighbourhood forums in Rowley Regis and Blackheath – Clive Atkins and Mandy Winning. Ms Casey also spoke with the latest batch of volunteers being trained by the government as community crime fighters to act as a link between the public and police ensuring the crimes that matter most are being dealt with.
Ms Casey then met Bob Dunn, one of 60 new neighbourhood crime and justice co-ordinators, to learn more about his work supporting victims and ensuring that community payback schemes are tough, visible and that offenders are paying back to local people for their criminal behaviour. She went on to see the local community payback scheme in action as a team of offenders all wearing orange high-visibility jackets cleared up litter on the estate.
Statement from neighbourhood crime and justice adviser
Louise Casey said, ‘The public are the key to helping fight crime – the police cannot do it on their own. But the public need the confidence that when they come forward to help they have the backing of the criminal justice system and that there are tough consequences for wrong-doers. By appointing neighbourhood crime and justice co-ordinators like Bob Dunn, we are giving the community a real say in how offenders are dealt with – ensuring that local people can really see that community penalties are tough and that offenders have to put something back.
‘I am delighted that we’ve got 500 Community Crime Fighters trained up already. These people, with their formidable determination to make their communities safer, paired with crime fighter training and will be a force for good within their local communities – working hand in hand with the police.'
Bob Dunn spent his entire 33-year career with West Midlands Police working in and around Sandwell before retiring in 2001 as an Inspector. He immediately joined Sandwell Council where he worked as community safety and anti-social behaviour co-ordinator before becoming neighbourhood crime and justice co-ordinator in December.
He said, ‘I am very pleased to be given this opportunity. But we still have much to do, especially to make sure justice is not only done but also seen to be done.’
Rising to the challenge
John Garrett, Sandwell Council’s executive director of adult and community services, said, ‘Sandwell people are rising to the challenge. Around 30 members of the public are giving up their free time to be Community Crime Fighters for the area, to help us take forward work that will benefit the borough. This shows fantastic commitment from local people.’
Resident John Cope, 65, who signed up to the Community Crime Fighters scheme said, ‘Anything that we can do to improve things has got to be right. It’s about making sure that we get everybody working together and learning from one another. This event gives us the opportunity to network with other people and learn best practice.’
Notes to editors
Areas were invited to bid to become pioneer areas on the basis of a variety of data including deprivation, population size and crime information. However, equally important in agreeing bids was their determination to work with local communities to address local concerns about crime, anti-social behaviour and justice.
Funding of £5.6 million is available to support the neighbourhood crime and justice pioneer areas nationally in 2008-09 and 2009-10. Sandwell has received £60,000 for the 2008-2009 financial year.
Sandwell has tackled anti-social behaviour and crime in a number of ways.
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Sandwell Wardens Service has issued 1,791 fixed penalty notices for a variety of environment offences in the community e.g. litter, dog fouling, graffiti, fly posting, cycling on the footpath.
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If a juvenile is caught dropping litter in the street, his parents are spoken to and offenders are invited to take part in a litter picking session as an alternative to prosecution. So far 95% have opted for litter picking sessions in hotspots around the borough. Those who refuse have been prosecuted.
The announcement of the Policing Pledge (new window) has also seen West Midlands Police make a real commitment to respond to public concerns with areas like the Grace Mary Estate already seeing the benefits. A copy of the West Midlands pledge (new window) is available online.
The Casey Review (new window) examining how to better engage communities to fight crime and raise public confidence in the Criminal Justice System is available for download.
