Your Council working in partnership to make our city safer

A safer city

Huge efforts to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour across Hull were highlighted during a special week of action

Helping to keep you safe: (L-R) ASB enforcement officers John Hirschfield and Diane Barber, police volunteers Clare Arbon and Wendy Hague, and special constable Craig Hopkins

Overall, crime in Hull has fallen by eight per cent in the last year.
Vehicle crime is down 12 per cent, house burglaries are down 10 per cent, and violent crime is down five per cent.
Hull is a safer city!
And that's partly down to the teamwork of a wide range of experts from different organisations, including the police, fire service, the local NHS, the probation service and Hull City Council.
Together these groups make up Hull Citysafe, whose work was highlighted during a special week of action last month called 'Not in My Neighbourhood Week' (NIMNW), a national event organised in local authority areas across the country.
The week's activities included:

• officers from FAB (Citysafe's Fireworks and Bonfires initiative) dismantling illegal bonfires and monitoring shops and traders to make sure they didn't sell fireworks to anyone under 18.
  The initiative involved the fire service, police and the council's trading standards and waste management teams
• antisocial behaviour (ASB) and housing officers speaking to residents about their concerns and fears over crime, and accompanying them on 'patch walks' in neighbourhoods to log incidences of fly-tipping, abandoned cars, graffiti, vandalism and litter
• police, youth and ASB officers targeting young people involved in crime and disorder, and making them aware of organised youth activities

"These sort of activities go on throughout the year," says Citysafe's partnership support manager Mark Charlton.
"But during this particular week we tried to put on as many activities as possible to highlight the way in which different partners are working together to improve the lives of residents.
"It was also a chance to let local people know how they can get involved in tackling crime and disorder."

Call for public support

Wold Road resident Ann Foster with Citysafe crime prevention officer Pc Trevor Waudby aboard the Citysafe trailer

Members of the public gain advice from special constable Craig Hopkins and ASB enforcement officer Diane Barber

If you go shopping at St. Stephen's or any of the city's major supermarkets you may have seen the Citysafe trailer during NIMNW .
You may have even climbed aboard to seek advice or report a problem to members of the Citysafe team.
"Although crime has dropped significantly in Hull, it's still important that we show people how they can help to protect themselves against crime," says Cllr Mike Ross, who is responsible for community safety at Hull City Council.
"By coming forward and reporting problems in their area, residents can help us to take action more swiftly to make a positive difference to the lives of local people.
"Whilst the council and its partners work together to do what we can to take action against problems like antisocial behaviour, drug dealing and fly tipping, we also need the support of residents and businesses to help us do this effectively."

War on drugs

The week also saw the launch of a new campaign aimed at helping illegal drug users.
The Recovery Campaign not only helps drug users gain access to treatment, but can also direct them towards help with housing, employment and training problems.
"These sorts of problems can often become barriers to users completing their treatment," says Anna Pilgrim, of Citysafe's Drug Strategy Team.
"And successful treatment is extremely important in driving down crime rate, when around 80 per cent of low level crime such as burglaries and thefts is committed by drug users."

Community Payback

The week also involved the work of criminal offenders through Hull's Community Payback Scheme.
The offenders, who work in teams of 12 under the supervision of Humberside Probation Trust, repainted over graffiti on walls in Spring Bank West and repainted a children's playground at Pearson Park.
"These projects were nominated by local residents and the work was carried out in full view of the public," says Peter McCabe, neighbourhood and criminal justice manager with Hull Citysafe.
"It's a means by which offenders can pay for their crimes in a way that also benefits the community.
"What's more, because people can see that justice is being done, it helps restore their faith in the criminal justice system."

info

The Community Payback Scheme operates throughout the year. If you would like to nominate a project call 300 300. You can also nominate projects, and have your say on local crime and disorder issues, by attending your Community Safety Action Partnership (CSAP) meetings and Ward Forums. These meetings take place every three months in every ward across the city in venues such as community centres, church halls and schools. To find out when the next one takes place in your area, call your local area team on 300 300. To contact Citysafe call 300 300. To report a crime call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111