Community Safety
At Community Counts, we're working closely with the police to reduce all types of crime across the area. We're also aiming to reduce the percentage of residents who are unhappy with the way the area is policed and who experience fear of crime in the area.
Key Priorities 2008 - 2009
And here are some of our priorities for the coming 12 months...
- Communication campaign to raise awareness of the success of neighbourhood policing
- Continue support work with Gloucestershire Constabulary around effective community engagement
Safer Communities Police Team
The Safer Communities Police Team for Barton, Tredworth and White City has been working hard in the area to keep crime down by 24%. This level of reduction is exceptional and has been achieved by the team working in a different way, focussing on the key issues raised by residents. The approach taken by the team is now informing the countywide roll-out of neighbourhood policing.
The Safer Communities Police Team is made up of:
- Sergeant Jon Testar
- Community Officer, PC Damian Lea
- Prolific and Target Offender Co-ordinator, PC Jamie Rawsthorn
- Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator, PC Sam Li
- Drugs Intelligence and Offender Co-ordinator
- PCSO Stacey Lee
- PCSO Mark Jones
- PCSO David Birch
One of the key messages that came out of the Residents' Survey was that local people are more likely to feel safe and have the confidence to get in touch with the Safer Communities Team if they know more about the team and understand how it operates. So Community Counts worked with the Safer Communities Team to produce a series of postcards that introduce members of the Team and what they do, and makes it easier for residents to get in touch by providing contact numbers and names.
The postcards were delivered to every household within the Community Counts areas of Barton, Tredworth and White City during April 2008. Use the link below to view the postcards or contact Community Counts if you'd like to receive a hard copy.
Safer Communites Team Postcards
Neighbourhood Panel - Keeping Our Community Safe
The Neighbourhood Panel is a residents' group that works with the Safer Communities Police Team to help guide and direct the ways in which the Community Counts areas of Barton, Tredworth and White City are policed. Each resident on the Neighbourhood Panel represents a larger group of residents, for example, a Neighbourhood Watch group or a particular street in the area.
The Neighbourhood Panel meet every couple of months but every six months they have a longer meeting at which they review and decide policing action plans for the coming six months. This enables residents to really have a say in the work of the Safer Communities Police Team. For instance, at the end of last year residents raised concerns over cycling in the area, such as cyclists using the pavement and cyclists not having lights, and this led to the creation of a Cyclesafe initiative. At the launch of the initiative in November 2007 over 150 residents met members of the Safer Communities Police Team and a lot of these residents had free cycle lights fixed to their bikes.
The policing priorities, as identified by the Neighbourhood Panel, for July - December 2008 are:
- Using a mobile phone while driving
- Drug dealing
- Vehicle crime
If you are interested in the work of the Neighbourhood Panel, please contact Community Counts.
Police Information Points: Keeping You Informed
A new initiative has been launched, aimed at improving communication with residents and businesses in Barton, Tredworth and White City. Three Police Information Points (PIPs) are being set up in community venues to help the team stay in touch with local people.
A designated Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) will ensure that each of these info points is regularly updated with news, events and invitations to get involved with new initiatives. There’ll be contact details and a chance to report crimes anonymously.
In addition, each of the PCSOs will hold regular surgeries every fortnight at the information points, giving local residents a chance to call by and have an informal chat while they’re out shopping.
PCSO |
Community Counts Area |
Location of PIP |
Mark Jones |
White City |
The Finlay Road Post Office |
Stacey Lee |
Barton |
The Pharmacy on Barton Street |
David Birch |
Tredworth |
Mobile / various venues |
Meet Our Police Community Support Officers
The Community Counts area has three Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) as part of its Safer Communities Police Team. Pictured on the right are PCSO Mark Jones, PCSO Stacey Lee and PCSO David Birch.
PCSOs play a vital role in the success of the police team, forging strong links within the community, patrolling the area, and helping to maintain a high police profile within the Barton, Tredworth and White City areas of the city.
As well as taking part in the team's routine police operations and campaigns, the PCSOs have been busy working with schools, street reps and neighbourhood co-ordinators to ensure that key messages get across.