Police urge York visitors to enjoy themselves in the right way

Police are calling on people in York to enjoy themselves safely and in the right spirit, as the weather improves and visitor numbers increase.
Sgt Nick Plumb in York

In a drive to clamp down on alcohol-related anti-social behaviour caused by a minority, but which impacts on the enjoyment of the majority, police and council licensing officers will be distributing and discussing the code of conduct for people visiting York.

Sgt Nick Plumb, of York Police, said: “York city centre is busy on a weekend, with residents enjoying family time round the city, tourists sightseeing and people going about their day-to-day business.

“Our aim is for everyone to visit the city safely and enjoy its vibrant and historic atmosphere. That’s why we take a firm stance against anyone causing disruption. In particularly, we will target groups of visitors who travel to York and ‘preload’ themselves with alcohol, and then continue to drink excessively. If their behaviour is unacceptable we will take firm action, including the use of dispersal powers to remove them from the city centre.

“We are also reminding people that many families enjoy spending time in the city centre, and we would urge visitors not to bring inappropriate inflatable items, fancy dress or clothing with offensive slogans with them.”

The codes state that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated on the train or the station, in the street or in licensed premises. It says York’s city centre licensed premises have agreed not to allow inflatables, language or fancy dress which are considered offensive or inappropriate. They state they will not admit large groups (only at the licence holder’s discretion) or people they believe to be drunk. They won’t allow alcohol to be drunk that has not been purchased on the premises and will not tolerate anti-social behaviour. The code also makes it clear that details of anyone who is refused entry or asked to leave will be shared with other licensed premises and the police.

Officers received good feedback from the public and licensed premises when the code of conduct was launched last year as part of the multi-agency ‘Had Enough!’ campaign. As summer approaches, they are particularly keen to get the message across to visitors coming to York, such as those from outside the North Yorkshire area.

Sgt Plumb added: “We don’t want to stop visitors to York having a good time. We’re simply asking people to be aware of how much alcohol they consume, and how their behaviour affects others. Our aim is for everyone to feel safe and secure in the city centre.”

York Allotments Against Crime events to combat fire and theft

allotment-posterAn extensive programme of allotment security events launches at Bustardthorpe Allotments on Sunday 8 May.

Organised as part of the ongoing York Allotments Against Crime (YAAC) campaign, the events will help to raise awareness of crime and fire prevention amongst allotment holders in the city.

City of York Council is working closely with North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and local allotment associations to offer friendly help and advice at events throughout the spring and summer.

North Yorkshire Police will be on hand to security mark allotment tools and property, so that if items are stolen they can be returned more quickly and possibly used as evidence. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service will also be present at larger allotment sites to offer fire safety advice and undertake fire prevention health checks.

Crime and fire prevention advice will be available, emergencies permitting, on event days listed below:

•    Sunday 8 May    Bustardthorpe Allotments*
•    Sunday 15 May  Howe Hill Allotments
•    Sunday 22 May  Holgate Allotments*
•    Wednesday 25 May  Strensall Allotments
•    Sunday 29 May  Bootham Allotments*
•    Sunday 5 June  Hob Moor Allotments
•    Sunday 5 June  Low Moor Allotments*
•    Sunday 12 June Fulford Allotments
•    Wednesday 15 June  Wigginton Road/Terrace Allotments
•    Sunday 19 June  Green Lane Allotments*
•    Sunday 26 June  Glen Allotments
•    Sunday 10 July  Hempland Allotments*
•    Sunday 10 July  New Lane Allotments
•    Sunday 17 July  Scarcroft and Hospital Fields Allotments*
•    Sunday 24 July  Carr Allotments

North Yorkshire Police will be present at all events and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service will be at those marked with an asterisk. Advice is available from 10am until 2pm except for the Wednesday sessions at Strensall and Wigginton Road Terrace, which take place from 4.30pm to 7pm.

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Call for information on effectiveness of CCTV cameras in York

There are nearly 100 cameras monitoring public order issues and traffic conditions in York 24/7.

CCTV Bramham Road

Bramham Road

A copy of the camera location list can be downloaded by clicking here.

The Council spends around £300,000 a year on the service and it  procured a new maintenance contract last June.

The effectiveness of the cameras is not routinely reported to any Council committee.

In Westfield, there are cameras located on Bramham Road and near the junction of Front Street & York Road. The future of the camera in Bramham Road – currently an Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) hotspot – was threatened in 2012 when the Labour controlled Council refused to pay the license fee.

With ASB on the increase in parts of the City, there have been calls for an extension of monitoring arrangements to problem locations like Acomb Green.

In the meantime, the Council and North Yorkshire Police must reassure residents that the existing cameras are sited at optimum locations and that systems to alert the Police to developing incidents – particularly in sub-urban areas – are effective and producing results.

North Yorkshire Police launch Community Messaging service

North Yorkshire Community Messaging is a free community messaging system that allows residents to register to receive the latest Community messagingcrime notifications and community news happening in their local neighbourhood.

North Yorkshire Community Messaging allows residents to decide when and how they are kept informed about the issues that matter to them:

  • Choose your interests: Crime and Other Police Incidents, Rural Policing, Anti-Social Behaviour, Road Safety, Neighbourhood News and Events
  • Choose how to receive your alerts: Phone, email, text message or mobile app (launching soon)!
  • By area(s): School, home, places of work, elderly relatives

Registering for North Yorkshire Community Messaging is Safe, Secure and Easy – Just click  ‘Join‘  and follow the step by step instructions.

The North Yorkshire Police have been under fire for failing to keep their social media channels updated during recent months.

This seems to us to be a worthwhile initiative which we hope will improve communications with residents

Violence, public order and street crime levels up in York

The latest crime figures released by the Office of National Statistics reveal a worrying trend in York with street crime and sexual offences at record levels.

Drug offences have also risen during the last 3 years.

York Crime stats

York Crime stats

While at the overall number of crimes is slightly down, with 44790 recorded during 2015, the figures do not include “anti social behavior” (ASB).

In some neighbourhoods ASB accounts for as much as 50% of the reports made to the Police. 

The figures are bound to lead to more calls for a return to community policing principles and a reversal of the York Council’s policy of centralising agency anti crime work in a City centre “hub”.

Poor choice for police boss as postal vote forms arrive

Postal votes for the forthcoming Police and Crime Commissioner elections are landing on doormats today.

Most electors will be baffled by the lack of information about the candidates for a post which costs taxpayers £34 an hour

The only source of information is a web site on which very brief manifestos can be viewed. However the official poll cards make no mention that the site even exists much less how to access it.

For the record you can access it by clicking here 

How an elector who does not have internet access will source information about candidates is unclear. They have no way of knowing that a policy comparator is even available
PCC candidates web site

We would have expected the four candidates to have made a bit more effort to address the growing concerns about crime in the county.

Crime levels in York are rising and are now above the average for similar City’s elsewhere in the country.

There are now no Community Constables identified for local neighbourhoods. Having a named police officer as a point of contact for local residents was an important contributor to reductions in crimes like anti social behavior, criminal damage and street level disturbances, which we saw until a few years ago.

Now they are gone and important links with the local community have been broken.

Nor do the candidates have anything to say about issues like road safety although the Tory has come out in favour of more speed cameras.

So it still looks like the farce of the 2012 PCC elections is set to be repeated on May 5th.

 

 

More restrictions on York City centre pub hours?

It could become more difficult for pubs and clubs in York to extend their opening hours in future.
Crime trends in York alcohol zone - report extract April 2016

Crime trends in York alcohol zone – report extract April 2016

The police have asked the York Council to crack down on premises within the cumulative impact zone (essentially the City centre) which seek longer opening hours.

The move comes against a background of increasing violence and disorder on some City centre streets.

The restrictions would affect any premises wanting to extend their hours to open beyond 11:00pm and also any licences seeking an overall increase in opening hours each day.

A report will be considered by the Council on 25th April. If approved the proposal will be subject to public consultation.

York con – Cold callers claim to be part of rehabilitation scheme

sCAM ALERT

City of York Council has had more reports of a scam in which cold callers in the York area are claiming to be selling household items as part of a rehabilitation scheme run by local or North East probation, youth offending or prison services.

Residents have told the council that individuals are going door-to-door in York and the surrounding areas trying to sell dish cloths and other cleaning or household items.

They claim to have identification (ID) cards issued by the Youth Offending Team, Prison or Probation Service. This is not the case and any IDs produced will be fakes.

The Council says, “Our youth offending services would never endorse such a scheme and we ask that residents do not support the scam by buying from these people.

Instead, please alert neighbours to this – particularly any vulnerable neighbours. Anyone approached by a salesperson claiming to be part of such a scheme should ring York police on 101 and report it.

North Yorkshire Police recommend that people concerned about unwanted visitors should call 101, or dial 999 in an emergency.

Who will be the new crime boss in York?

Only four candidates have come forward for the Police and Crime Commissioner elections which are taking place on 5th May.

Choose my PCCThe salary for the post is over £70,000. The current, Northallerton based, PCC also spends around £1 million a year on management expenses

The candidates are:

  • James Christopher Blanchard – Liberal Democrat Party Candidate
  • Julia Rosemary Mulligan – Conservative Party Candidate
  • Mike Pannett – Independent
  • Stephen Howley – Labour Party Candidate

All have managed to keep a low profile although both the Police and the  Crime Commissioner web sites are still advertising Julia Mulligans “surgeries”, despite the fact that we are now well into the “purdah” period during which public resources may not be used to promote individual candidates.

The keenness of the North Yorkshire police web site authors to promote the current PCC is in marked contrast to their ability to keep up to date more useful information on their site.PCC advice centre

Crime stats – which compare trends and performance against comparable areas – is not up to date. However, figures for York, up to last September, confirmed increasing crime rates and that crime is higher locally than in comparable City’s

It is many months now since the what’s on feature was updated on the Police web site, nor is there an identified Police Officer nominated as the lead for each ward (as was the case until 2011).

So what do the candidates say on these and other pressing issues?

No one knows.

The government has not provided a Freepost facility for candidates and even the comparative booklet (in which all candidates list their polices) will only be available on the web.  If you don’t have internet access then there is a telephone number that you can ring to get a copy of the booklet by post – however it is only advertised on the web (Catch 22!).

The telephone number is 0800 1070708

The independent Electoral Commission blamed poor voter turnout rates at the last PCC elections (held in 2012) on lack of communication from candidates

The government could have easily asked for manifesto information to be circulated with the Poll Cards that all electors will shortly receive. They could also have saved money by holding the election on the same day as the Euro referendum.

As it is, the £70,000 a year post doesn’t look like it will be seriously contested with another lamentably low turnout in prospect.

This would be a shame because the support services for the PCC are very expensive while the attitude of some of the staff working for the current incumbent have beenvariously patronising or evasive (see responses to questions posted to candidates).

Time for a change… but to what?