In our April print magazine we featured community safety accreditation by police. One force, Cleveland, has accredited Hartlepool Council-run wardens.
Such accredited staff have extra powers, short of the police power of arrest. Wardens manager, Ted Morgan, said: “Persuasion and the amicable resolution of problems would always be our preferred approach, but the extra powers will give us another option in certain situations.”
Meanwhile the Safer Hartlepool Partnership last year launched a Crime Net scheme, to tackle shop theft in the town centre. Several shoplifters have been banned from stores signed up. Mike Gibson, co-ordinator, said: “Hartlepool is no longer the shoplifting capital of the Cleveland Police Force area. That is now Middlesbrough, although the town still has a theft problem, but year on year the number of incidents is reducing.”
Crime Net was launched by Cleveland Police’s Chief Constable, Sean Price. Its aim is to give businesses a helping hand in their fight against crime, by sharing intelligence on known criminals. Hartlepool Police pass on details of persistent offenders who shopkeepers watch out for. If they are found to have committed a crime they will be banned from the premises where the offence occurred and all member outlets. Crime net co-ordinator, Mike Gibson said, “Since its introduction, Crime Net has seen six thieves served with exclusion notices which is a real success. The good thing is they seem to be obeying the notices because they have not been seen or committing offences.
Among the shops already signed up to the scheme are Boots, Woolworth’s, Savers, Wilkinson, Ethel Austin and Westgate at Middleton Grange shopping centre, and Asda, Au Naturale and two Bells Stores in the town. In the eleven months Crime Net has been running shop theft has started to fall. In March 2003 there were 140 incidents reported to the police, the monthly figure is now about 100.
There are 24 wardens, operating in four teams of six, who patrol Dyke House, Jackson, parts of Brinkburn, Stranton, Owton Manor and parts of Rift House. Funding for the service comes from the New Deal for Communities (NDC) regeneration programme and the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF). Street patrols began in January 2002. Hartlepool Mayor Stuart Drummond whose Cabinet portfolio covers community safety, welcomed the accreditation. He said: “The wardens have been a huge success. They have integrated well into local communities, and played a big part in helping to reduce residents’ fear of crime. However, I feel it is now time to move on to the next level, and these extra powers will enable them to take on more responsibility and given them an even more significant role when it comes to improving community safety.”
Past Safer Hartlepool projects have ranged from helping car parks gain security accreditation to providing grants to hair dressing salons and other small retailers in crime hot-spots for CCTV or other security equipment.
For more information about Crime Net, ring Mike Gibson on 01429 287209 or email [email protected]
