Policing news: Special constable recruitment starts, 2 sought after alcohol theft

Special Constable recruitment opens. Make a difference – join the team

North Yorkshire Police is looking to recruit at least 70 new Special Constables during its 2016 recruitment campaign which opens on 4 January.

Special Constables are volunteer police officers who have the same uniform and powers as regular (paid) police officers. They volunteer a minimum of 16 hours per month to policing York and North Yorkshire and carry out a full range of operational, front-line duties.

North Yorkshire Police currently has 198 Special Constables and is looking for new recruits to be based in every district of North Yorkshire.

“Specials” as they are known, come from all walks of life and backgrounds which means that they bring with them a whole host of skills and abilities which complement those of their regular (paid) colleagues.

They go through a rigorous training programme before they qualify to go out on the beat where they cover a wide range of duties from policing public events, to attending emergency incidents.

They can also choose to undertake further training and specialise in a particular area of policing such as public order, (policing protests, football matches etc) and roads policing.

Click here to read more

CCTV issued after York alcohol voucher fraud

Police have issued CCTV images of two men they would like to speak to after fraudulent vouchers were used to buy alcohol in York.

At about 5.40pm on 5 November 2015, two men entered the Asda store in Monks Cross, and selected a large amount of alcohol from the shelf, worth about £320. They scanned this through a self-service checkout, and paid for it using a quantity of £5 money-off vouchers. The vouchers were later found to be fraudulent.

Despite extensive enquiries, the men involved have not yet been identified.

Police would like to speak to the two men pictured on CCTV, as they may have important information that could assist the investigation.

Anyone who recognises the men is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police. Please call 101, select option 2, and ask for PC Michael Cooper. You can also email michael.cooper@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Please quote reference number 12150198645 in connection with this incident.

Major police operation to clamp down on York burglaries

An operation to protect York residents against a new garage burglary ‘exploit’ saw dozens of properties visited and more than 100 items security marked in a single night.

On Tuesday 15 September, one police officer and eight PCSOs from York North Safer Neighbourhood Team, boosted by the support of 12 Special Constables, took to the streets of Rawcliffe.

The clampdown follows a significant rise in burglaries in the area, often involving offenders exploiting a weakness in certain garage doors in order to steal property, particularly pedal cycles.

Residents in the Rawcliffe area were shown how criminals commit such burglaries, and given advice on how to simply and effectively secure their garages in response.

Officers also brought with them three ‘dot peen’ marking kits which were made available to residents to get their property security marked and registered. In total, 66 bikes were marked, as well as 17 tablets, 12 laptops and 11 other items including phones and guitars.

Officers visited every property in Beaverdyke, Angram Close, Leighton Croft, Eldwick Close, Swinsty Court, Chelkar Way, Baden Court, Fewston Drive, Lindley Road, Barnby Close, Ebsay Drive, Lanshaw Croft, Redmires Close, Whitley Close, Haythorth Close, Handley Close, Wellesley Close and Bransholme Drive.

When there was no answer, a letter was posted through the door offering crime prevention advice and inviting people to a dot peen property marking drop-in session on 26 September 2015 at Clifton Moor Church and Community Centre from 6pm to 8pm. More information about dot peen is available at www.northyorkshire.police.uk/whatisdotpeen

PC Steve Gillespie, of York North Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “I’d like to stress the importance of adding additional security measures to your garages to ensure that you too do not become a burglary victim.

“I strongly recommend the installation of security measures such as garage defenders or ground anchors. I am sure the cost of having to replace stolen items will far outweigh the cost of installing this equipment.

“Furthermore, allowing the police to mark your items – such as pedal cycles, gardening tools, golfing equipment, mobile phones and almost anything else you can think of – ensures that our chances of reuniting you with your property, should it be lost or stolen, are greatly increased. It also assists us in ensuring that the North Yorkshire Police area remains the safest place in England.”

The crime prevention campaign will continue, and officers have stepped up patrols in the area, including patrols in marked and unmarked vehicles, and on marked and unmarked bikes throughout the night.

Anyone who sees any suspicious activity is urged to report it to the police immediately. Such reports assist officers in preventing crime and catching offenders with stolen property in their possession.

PC Gillespie praised the contribution of North Yorkshire Police Special Constables, volunteers with the same powers as full-time police officers: “Without the support of our colleagues from the Special Constabulary giving up their midweek evening to assist these patrols, it would not have been possible to visit as many people, on as many streets, or to have marked as much property as we did.”

Two boys, aged 16 and 14, were arrested on 13 September on suspicion of burgling a garage in the Rawcliffe area. Both have been released on bail pending further enquiries.

Crime and policing – weekly York round up

North Yorkshire Police – public view

Although North Yorkshire Police commented on the latest crime figures published by ONS, they didn’t’ respond to the public perception figures published at the same time.

69.8% of residents said that they thought that North Yorkshire Police were doing an excellent or good job. This compared to an average for England and Wales of 61.9%. North Yorkshire didn’t achieve the highest rating though with forces like Dorset, Thames Valley, Surrey, Hertfordshire and Norfolk rated more highly.

Asked whether North Yorkshire Police dealt with local concerns, 64.9% of residents agreed. The national average was 61.5%. Eight other forces were rated more highly than North Yorkshire.

The detailed crime stats for York only, covering a 12 month rolling period, are reproduced in the table. Full data can be found by clicking here

York police step up the fight against burglars

Police in the north of York have launched a new high-visibility operation to protect property and deter burglars.

As part of Operation Joypad, officers from the York North Safer Neighbourhood Team are carrying out high-visibility patrols and physically checking properties to ensure they are secure. The operation is also strongly supported by Special Constables, volunteer police officers with full police powers who give up their own time to protect their communities.

Information appeal following rape near Dunnington

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses and information following a rape that occurred two weeks ago today near York.

The incident occurred in a layby on the A1079 near Dunnington, on the night of Wednesday 1 July.

The victim, a woman in her forties, was attacked in her car whilst sleeping, by a man who is believed to be a lorry driver. The man is described as white, aged about 55 years old, 5ft 10ins tall, of proportionate build and with blond or light hair. He is described as having a tattoo on his upper left arm, possibly an anchor. The vehicle he was believed to have been driving is described as a large lorry similar to an HGV, cream or white in colour, with red lettering on the side including the letters ‘D’, ‘E’.

Bicycle theft – York city centre

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses and information about a cycle theft that occurred in York city centre.

It happened outside of Sainsburys, Piccadilly, York, at 3.15pm on 3 April 2015 and involved a man wearing a grey hooded top and jeans. A black coloured Specialized Jinx ladies bicycle was stolen which had lime green detailing.

We are conducting enquiries and are requesting the public’s assistance to help determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

Appeal following collision on The Mount

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for witnesses and information about a minor collision that occurred on The Mount in York.

It happened at approximately 5.20pm on 29 May 2015, and involved a cyclist and a dark-coloured soft top type vehicle.

The cyclist received minor injuries after the vehicle collided with her whilst she was waiting to turn right at the junction.

Unfortunately the driver of the vehicle failed to stop.

Damage to First Bus York

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses after the First York #1 bus service from New Earswick to Wigginton was attacked by two youths. Damage was subsequently caused to a window of the bus and a replacement service had to be called.

The incident occurred when the bus was parked on Haxby Road, York, near the Lime Tree Avenue junction on Sunday 31st May 2015 at 2230 hours.

We are conducting enquiries and are requesting the public’s assistance to help determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident

Police seek driver of Citroen Saxo involved in traffic collision on Cornlands Road

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses and information about a minor collision that occurred on Cornlands Road in York.

It happened around 1pm on 13/06/15 and involved a black, sporty-looking Citroen Saxo, the driver of which is yet to be identified. The vehicle collided with a six-year-old boy on Cornlands Road in York, knocking him off his bike.

The boy sustained minor injuries in the collision. Although the driver stopped at the scene of the collision and spoke to the boy’s father, they did not leave any contact information.

Drugs, robbery, sexual offences, violence, weapons offences show increases. Burglaries, vehicle offences & vandalism down

There were a total of 34,617 crimes in North Yorkshire 0.5% increase, 168 more crimes – in comparison to the same period in 2013-2014

Broken down into the main crime categories, the ONS figures for North Yorkshire show:

Domestic Burglary reduced by 13% (1,371 crimes in total, down 196 from ,1567), with overall Burglary down by 6% (3,960 crimes in total, down 258 from 4,218)
Criminal Damage and Arson down by 9% (5,097 crimes in total from 5,615)
14% reduction in Vehicle Offences (2,207 crimes in total, down 363 from 2,570)
Robbery increased by 25% (146 crimes in total, up 29 from 117)
8% decrease in Theft Offences (16,831 crimes in total)
Sexual Offences up by 50% (1,054 crimes in total, up 352 from 702). As previously explained, this rise is generally regarded as a positive reflection of the confidence victims have in North Yorkshire Police, particularly those making historical complaints. This is also influenced by Operation Yewtree and Operation Hibiscus (Jimmy Savile/Peter Jaconelli investigations), and the opening of a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in York two years ago.
Violence Against the Person went up by 20% (7,366 crimes in total, up by 1,128 from 6,138). This rise is almost entirely attributable to the Violence without Injury category. This includes Common Assault and Harassment offences. A problem profile conducted on trends in this crime category in the Autumn of last year showed improved recording following a recent HMIC inspection, an increase in historical reports, increased pro-activity around enforcement of orders and improved victim confidence.
Drug Offences increased by 15% (2,085 crimes in total, up 272 from 1,813)
Possession of Weapons Offences up by 26% (230 crimes in total, up by 47 from 183)
Public Order Offences decreased by 1% (1,238 crimes in total, down by 18 from 1,256)
Miscellaneous Crimes Against Society, which includes the possession and publication of extreme sexual images, was up by 35% (570 crimes in total, up by 148 from 422).

Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick said: “The latest crime figures reflect the sheer determination of North Yorkshire Police and our partners to make North Yorkshire the safest place in England.

“We will continue to focus our efforts on all elements of criminality and improve the service we provide to those who unfortunately become victims of crime. Certain crimes continue to become more challenging and complex to investigate, however we are investing in new technology and I am confident the skills and commitment of the North Yorkshire Police team will rise to any future challenges.”

North Yorkshire remains the safest place to live, work and visit in England, the Office of National Statistics confirm.

Police exhibition on tour

North Yorkshire residents are invited to discover the trends that are shaping policing through a special new exhibition that is touring across the county.

“Policing in North Yorkshire” will take place at the following venues throughout June and early July:

1 and 2 June – Milton Rooms, Malton
3 and 4 June – St Peter’s Church, Harrogate
11 and 12 June – Spurriergate Centre, York
15 and 16 June – Hawdon Institute, Selby
23 and 24 June – Town Hall, Skipton
25 and 26 June – The Street, Scarborough
29 and 30 June – Rural Arts Centre, Thirsk
1 July – Richmond Town Hall, Richmond

The exhibition will give an insight into the number and type of incidents the police deal with in a year, the different roles within policing, and how the police are using technology to target criminal activity. It will also outline the way that North Yorkshire police plans to work in the community in the future.

Commenting on the exhibition, Chief Constable Dave Jones said:

“People are hearing a lot in the news about cuts to police budgets, and it is no secret that all police services are facing financial challenges. But here in North Yorkshire we are working hard to find more efficient and effective ways to protect communities, and we want to share that approach with the public. This exhibition is a great way for people to discover what is happening at North Yorkshire Police, so I hope that people will find a few minutes to come along.”

The Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, Julia Mulligan, said:

“The financial situation means that all public services are having to make some tough decisions – including the police – so it is important that we help everyone to understand the issues. I’m looking forward to meeting people at these events, and sharing the direction of travel for the North Yorkshire Police.”

All “Policing in North Yorkshire” events are free to attend. Event details and booking is available at: www.nypolice.eventbrite.co.uk

Crime surgery in Acomb on 3rd June

Police Commissioner Orders 2% increase in Council Tax as Force accused of poor communications

Nick Love seeks meeting to discuss crime concerns and IT failures

The Police Commissioner Julia Mulligan has announced a 2% increase in the element of Council Tax which funds Policing in North Yorkshire and York.

The announcement comes only a few days after it was revealed that the levels of, some types of, crime were continuing to increase in the City.

Anyone looking to find a working link to the Commissioners web site (from the police site) will be disappointed Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire Anyone trying to follow a link to the Safer York partnership http://www.saferyork.org.uk/ will find similar frustrations. Even worse, a link to the equivalent site in Selby directs residents to a mortgage company.

And that is part of the emerging problem with local policing. Communications with the public are haphazard in some areas.

2014 by the numbers

Until 3 years ago we all knew how our allocated local “bobby” was”. There were dedicated Police officers and PCSOs for each ward.

There was a local web site which, as well as containing details of the local officers, also set out surgery dates and contact channels as well as crime prevention information.

This has largely disappeared.

While the web site still includes a – user friendly – map showing the distribution of crime reports it currently fails most other tests.

Some wards seem to have suffered particularly badly from the decision to centralise some police officers into an “anti social behaviour” hub located in the York Councils’ West Offices. There has been no report on the effectiveness of this unit although the York council is budgeting to throw a further £300,000 into it next year.

In fairness there has been some progress on some aspects of “social media”.

The twitter feeds for various parts of the force are appreciated by many residents. The daily news updates are also a positive approach

But little performance information is routinely published across the whole county – and what is available is broad brush. It is particularly difficult to find information on detection rates – one of the key tests for any police force.

Even the supposed independent police and crime panel receives little useful information and has a profile which can most kindly be described as subterranean

As a minimum these changes need to be made:

Safer neighbourhood web sites need to be updated and refined
Local communities should know who their dedicated police officers and PCSOs are
They should have an idea about the level of patrolling frequency that they can expect to see.
They should have access to surgeries where they can talk to (at least) a PCSO. (Only one surgery for the whole of February is currently advertised on the local York Police web site)
The positive engagement policy should be reintroduced with the police attending events at community centres, libraries etc possibly when another event is taking place. (unfortunately, with the demise of the Ward committee, one formal link with local communities was lost)
Residents should be clear how to make contact. If police desks like the one at Acomb are manned what the opening hours are and who will be manning the desks (currently volunteers)?
Local Councillors, neighbourhood watch and the media should be routinely told about local crime trends and prevention advice. All should agree to pass on information to local residents. Use could be made of notice boards and Council newsletters.
Crime stats should be routinely published at least for safer neighbourhood areas. These should include detection rates.
The Police Commissioner should ensure that all meeting agendas and supporting papers are readily available – including links to them from local Council web sites. She should trial webcasting and public access sessions.
There should be a review of the location of senior officers. Given crime trends, there may be a case for the DCC to be headquartered in York.

Those at the top of the local Police force need to get a grip on these issues quickly.

Nick Love the LibDem MP candidate for York Central says,

“I will be seeking a meeting with the Police to see how we can best address areas where crime has increased in York and to explore the possibility of a more senior officer being permanently based in the City such as the Deputy Chief Constable.”

New Police and Crime Plan for North Yorkshire

Julia Mulligan has published the refreshed Police and Crime Plan for North Yorkshire. This has followed an extensive consultation with the public, who have identified four priorities for North Yorkshire.

1. Protect vulnerable people

2. Cut crime and anti-social behaviour

3. Focus on prevention and early intervention

4. Improve victim care

Download a copy of the new Police and Crime Plan from http://www.northyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news/new-police-and-crime-plan-for-north-yorkshire/
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York crime update

Witness appeal after schoolgirl suffers minor injuries in Acomb assault

York police are appealing for information after a schoolgirl was physically assaulted in the city.

It occurred at around 3.45pm on Friday 31 January 2014, as she walked along Viking Road, Acomb, close to the junction for Jute Road. More

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Appeal after man seriously injured in Wigginton crash

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was seriously injured in a road collision on the B1363 Sutton Road in Wigginton near York on Friday 31 January 2014.

The collision occurred near to a property called The Oaks at around 5pm and involved a black Ford Fiesta travelling towards York and a white van travelling in the opposite direction. More

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Mobile safety camera routes week commencing 5 February 2014

Below are the enforcement locations for North Yorkshire Police’s mobile safety cameras for week commencing Wednesday 5 February 2014.

The safety cameras are now more visible then ever before with each of the three vehicles bearing the same hi-vis livery as North Yorkshire Police’s marked vehicle fleet. More

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Search goes on for missing York student

Police officers searching for Megan Roberts are carrying out riverside patrols along the River Ouse.

Search goes on for missing York student

Police officers searching for Megan Roberts are carrying out riverside patrols along the River Ouse. More

“AskTheChief” webchat: Your chance to quiz the Chief Constable tomorrow Monday

North Yorkshire Police’s Chief Constable Dave Jones is hosting a live webchat to allow residents the opportunity to ask any questions about crime and anti-social behaviour in their communities.

Mr Jones will be online between 6pm and 7pm on Monday 3 February 2014.

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