Now in its second year, the Safer Neighbourhood Programme in Bloomsbury is continuing to have great success in tackling drugs, anti-social behaviour and theft in the area. Since the Bloomsbury Safer Neighbourhood Team was set up in April 2006, excellent results have been achieved in the Bloomsbury Ward helping to improve the quality of home life, working life and social life in the area.
The aim of the programme is to help residents, businesses and groups from the ward to play an active role in keeping the area safe and crime free. With 3 full time Police Officers working solely on the ward and with support from 4 Police Community Support Officers, the team is able to work with freedom and look into long term problems that the stakeholders in the area are concerned about.
PC Foster Percil said, “The programme gives us the opportunity to communicate with various different groups in the Bloomsbury area and find out what issues are affecting them. We are then able to directly look into these issues and tackle long term problems instead of just looking to boost short term arrest figures.”
“The programme makes it easier for us to do our job as we know we are not going to be called out to other areas. We can dedicate our time into looking after the needs within the ward and building relationships and trust with the various parties. It’s all about working together as a community to tackle problems such as anti-social behaviour, theft, violence, prostitution and drugs and we rely on the various groups in the neighbourhood to be our eyes and ears.”
After excellent results in taking drugs and dealers out of Bedford Square in their operation last year, the Bloomsbury Safer Neighbourhood Team is continuing to work closely with representatives from the area. After discussions with the Bloomsbury wards panel, three areas were pinpointed as problem areas. These included bike theft around the universities, drug dealing and anti-social brothels in the north of the ward.
With Bedford Square now clean from crack cocaine and heroin, the team has turned their attention to monitoring areas where similar drug dealing has been taking place. Working with neighbourhood groups such as park wardens, street wardens, residents, the British Transport Police and local businesses, the team has been compiling intelligence reports, and running early morning patrols to tackle the problem. Plain clothes Police Officers along with high visibility officers have been patrolling the area and already two arrests have been made with 6 outstanding targets still being hunted.
Due to the number of universities and colleges in the area, bike theft had become a serious issue. Organised gangs were heading to the Bloomsbury district and stealing bikes which would then be sold in Bridge Street market. Since December bike theft is down approximately 70% in the ward and with 2 arrests made where a number of stolen bikes and computers were found, Foster is happy that the issue of bike theft is becoming controlled.
Foster explained, “We have been carrying out information days where we can give advice to bike owners on how to keep their bike safe. Some pay £1000 for a bike but only spend a few quid on a lock. It is all about making it as difficult as possible for criminals to get away with the crimes. We find many stolen bikes but unfortunately they are not all registered so we are unable to return them to their rightful owner. By registering bikes it makes it harder for thieves to sell on the bikes and it means that when we do have success in finding stolen bikes we can return them to the rightful owner.”
To tackle the problem of anti-social brothels the team has used a number of techniques. Confiscating cards being left in phone boxes which advertise sex, contacting letting agents or owners of property where these brothels take place and by conducting detailed intelligence, the Police is hopeful that it can stop the vice problem which has close links to drugs, people trafficking and abuse. Phase one of the operation has resulted in four persons being arrested and over 3500 cards being removed.
Another success for the Bloomsbury scheme includes the control of street drinkers who can beg aggressively and often be loud and abusive. With controlled drinking areas and powers to pour away alcohol Police have found that although the problem is ongoing, positive steps forward have been made.
Jim Murray from the Bloomsbury Association speaks very highly of the scheme, “The Safer Neighbourhood Programme has been immense for the area. It has helped communication between the Police and local people and it gives everyone confidence in the Police as we know we are being listened to.”
“The Bedford Square Operation last year yielded some excellent results and some serious convictions. Unfortunately the problem has moved to other areas but due to the communication links, we were able to transmit information to the Police straight away so they could act. With all the different parties working together it enables us to inform the Police of problems early so they do not get out of control.”
Senior Street Warden John Rodwell said, “The Safer Neighbourhood Programme has been a great success. It has brought local Police back into the area who can deal with local issues. This has helped the local community take a greater role and has also allowed them to find out more about how Police procedures work, they realise that there is no quick fix and the Police have to put cases together in order to tackle the problems and make arrests.”
The full time officers include - Sgt Darren Bone, Pc Foster Percil, Pc Emma Rockard
