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 crime 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

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”.

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

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 25^th 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 PCC The 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?

York police and crime update

CCTV appeal following alleged theft from Mothercare in York

North Yorkshire Police have issued CCTV images of a man they would like to speak to in relation to the alleged theft of several items of baby clothing from Mothercare.

The man entered the store on Clifton Moor in York at around 9.30am on Monday 9 November 2015.

Police are appealing for anyone who can identify the man or anyone who has any information which could assist the investigation to contact them on 101 and ask to speak to PC Sarah Scott or email Sarah.Scott@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk. Please quote reference 12150199096.

Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Successful rural operation sees police in North Yorkshire targeting travelling criminals

Six people were arrested in North Yorkshire last night as part of a clampdown on criminals targeting the county’s rural areas.

At the same time as the force’s Roads Policing and Road Crime teams were appearing on national TV on the BBC show Traffic Cops, those same teams were out on the roads, fighting crime in rural North Yorkshire.

Operation Checkpoint, which took place overnight, targeted cross-border criminals in rural areas across the north of England.

In North Yorkshire, dozens of Watch volunteers joined police officers and specialist units – including the force’s Roads Policing Group (RPG) and Road Crime Team (RCT) – across the Richmondshire, Hambleton and Ryedale areas.

More

Public invited to observe North Yorkshire Police use of stop and search powers

Police are calling for more people to apply to observe officers using their stop and search powers, as part of a new scheme to increase transparency.

Under the Stop and Search Lay Observer Scheme, members of the public can apply to accompany officers on patrol when they might deploy stop and search powers.

North Yorkshire Police officers carry out about 20 stop searches per day, and these powers are an effective policing tool to detect crime, recover property and arrest offenders. The force has adopted the Home Office Best Use of Stop and Search Scheme to increase transparency and further improve our use of these powers. Since its launch, one member of the public has already accompanied officers under the scheme, with a further six attachments planned in the near future.

Record number of Special Constable applicants as campaign closes

North Yorkshire Police’s latest Special Constable recruitment campaign which ended today (1 February 2016) has seen a record number of applicants and expressions of interest.

The campaign, which began on 4 January 2016, received 276 applications from potential Special Constables.

In addition, 341 people began an application but did not finish it, 11 people failed the pre-screening questions and 1 person withdrew their application.
(more…)

Man arrested after thefts from vehicles in York Business Park

A man from Merseyside has been arrested after a report of thefts from vehicles at a garage in York.

Police were called at 12.45pm on Thursday 21 January 2016 with a report that a number of satnav memory cards had just been stolen from several vehicles at a garage on the York Business Park.

Officers immediately began a search of the area, and at 2pm a suspicious vehicle was stopped near Appleton Roebuck.

Items of suspected stolen property were recovered from the car, and the driver, a 27-year-old man from St Helens, Merseyside, was arrested on suspicion of theft from a motor vehicle.

He has been released on bail, with conditions not to enter North Yorkshire, as police enquiries continue.

York crime levels up

Figures published today by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) confirm that crime levels in York are increasing.

click to enlarge

The main concern in York will be the violence figures which have crept up.

Also on the increase in recent months have been theft offences, drug misuse, non domestic burglaries and sexual offences,

The largest number of reports received by the Police concern anti social behaviour. ASB offences are not monitored on the national crime report.

The local Police commanders are at pains to point out that North Yorkshire, as a whole, is the safest county in the UK in which to live.

You can find out about crime incidents in your,and neighbouring, streets by clicking here

Council cautions against bogus taxis targeting young women

City of York Council has received a number of allegations relating to suspected illegal taxis operating in the city centre in recent weeks.

They have been seen on student nights and reports suggest that the drivers claim to work for a York private hire operator which has contracts with both universities. The drivers also appear to be targeting young women.

To help identify taxis properly-licensed by City of York Council, vehicles and drivers must display the following:

· Private hire vehicles

o Side plates on the rear doors stating ‘private hire vehicle pre booked only’, the company name and telephone number and/or website address;
o Maroon licence plates on the front and rear of the vehicle, which state City of York Private Hire, the licence number, number of persons the vehicle is licensed to carry and the vehicle registration number;
o A small plate giving the details above must also be displayed within the vehicle.

· Hackney carriage vehicles

o A ‘taxi’ roof light;
o The York crest of the front doors;
o Yellow licence plate on the rear of the vehicle which states, City of York Hackney Carriage, the licence number, number of persons the vehicle is licensed to carry and the vehicle registration number’;
o A small plate giving the details above must also be displayed within the vehicle
o A meter will be fitted in the vehicle.
Private hire and hackney carriage drivers Photo ID badge issued by the council, which has the driver’s licence number, name and expiry date.

If you are approached by or believe an unlicensed vehicle is operating please don’t get in it. Unlicensed vehicles are not insured to carry passengers, they may not be roadworthy and drivers may not have passed a ‘fit and proper’ person test.

Please report your concerns to the council and/or police as soon as possible. Try to get as many details as possible about the vehicle (registration number, make, model, colour) and driver (sex, age, hair/eye colour, ethnicity, build), along with the location and time. Students can report it to the Student Union who will contact us or, please call City of York Council’s on 01904 551438 or email taxi.licensing@york.gov.uk or please call North Yorkshire Police on 101.

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