Three Rivers Rolling Strategy and Action Plan (2009/10)

Community Safety

PART ONE

Statement of purpose

The Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership exists so partners can work together to reduce and prevent crime and disorder.

Introduction

Under the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act, a duty has been placed on Three Rivers District Council, Hertfordshire Constabulary, Hertfordshire County Council, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, West Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust and the Hertfordshire Police Authority to work together with other groups, agencies and local people to develop and implement a strategy for preventing and reducing crime and disorder.

Since its inception, the Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership has grown to be an active and cohesive partnership, delivering real benefits for the communities it serves.

What does the Community Safety Partnership look like?

The Community Safety Partnership consists of many stakeholders who are each accountable for reducing crime and disorder in the local area. In order to facilitate this aim the Community Safety Partnership has developed three levels of responsibility.

The Community Safety Board receives and interprets summary intelligence about the needs of the community, such as fear of crime, hotspots and drug prevalence and uses this to set and adjust the strategic direction of the partnership, set priorities, allocate resources, and to develop an evidence based approach to the partnership.

The Co-ordinating Group gathers detailed intelligence to establish base lines, develop plans, solve community safety problems and monitor progress and outcomes. It also establishes the delivery groups appropriate to the delivery of the Community Safety Strategy.

At the community level there are delivery groups whose focus is to manage and resolve locality-based issues should they arise.

Communication between the three levels of the Community Safety Partnership is a two-way process with information feeding both up and down.

Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership Structure

PART TWO

What Has Been Done Over the Last Year?

Over the past three year 2008-2009 the Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership has been working towards the following priorities and targets:

Priorities

  • Reducing crime – particularly the following:
  • Tackling Criminal Damage
  • Tackling Theft from a vehicle
  • Reducing Burglary
  • Reducing Violent Crime including Domestic Violence and Hate Crime
  • Tackling Theft of a Pedal Cycle
  • Tackling Anti Social Behaviour – particularly in hotspot areas such as South Oxhey and Maple Cross
  • Tackling Under age drinking – particularly in hotspots such as Mill End, Leavesden and Northwick
  • Managing PPOs and ASBOs
  • Tackling the fear of crime

2008/09Crime reduction Targets

  • To reduce vehicle crime by 3%
  • To reduce criminal damage by 5%
  • To reduce burglary dwelling by 3%
  • To reduce burglary other by 5%
  • To reduce violent crime by 3%
  • To reduce theft of a pedal cycle by 1%
  • To reduce the following types of ASB

-Graffiti – To reduce by 5% per year

-Fly tipping – To reduce by 5% per year

-Actual Abandoned vehicles – To reduce by 5% per year

-Noise complaints – To reduce by 5% per year

Action plans

To help achieve the targets listed above the Community Safety Partnership produced an action plan; some of the projects contained within the plan are shown below.

Please note that the list is not exhaustive and if you wish to view a full copy of the plan please contact Three Rivers District Council on 01923 776611 or

  • Increased the number of Police Community Support Officers (PCSO’s)
  • Put in place ASBO’s and ABC’s (where necessary)
  • Funded diversionary activities for young people – such as football and other youth activities.
  • Funded a motorcycle project.
  • Carried out a graffiti removal scheme
  • Contributed to the West Herts Against Crime (WHAC) – Home Security Service
  • Contributed to towards the local Crime Prevention Panel
  • Made contributions towards the New Hope Trust (Day care Centre and Night Shelter)
  • Put in place environmental improvements such as lighting, fencing and gating
  • Maintained Alcohol Banning Zones (where necessary)
  • Funded a Domestic Violence Intervention Worker.
  • Produced distraction burglary calendars and door stickers.

Progress against the targets

Offence Type / Baseline Figure / % Reduction / End of Year Target / 9 month Result / On / Off Target
Vehicle Crime / 802 / -3% / 778 / 609 / 812 
Criminal Damage / 1023 / -5% / 972 / 735 / 980 
Burglary Dwelling / 428 / -3% / 415 / 302 / 402 
Burglary Other / 339 / -5% / 322 / 192 / 256 
Violent Crime / 728 / -3% / 706 / 460 / 613 
Theft of a Cycle / 126 / -1% / 125 / 87 / 116 
Graffiti / 163 / -5% / 155 / 103 / 137 
Fly-tipping / 495 / -5% / 470 / 325 / 433 
Abandoned Vehicles / 49 / -5% / 47 / 33 / 44 
Noise Complaints / 972 / -5% / 923 / 313 / 417 

Hertfordshire Local Area Agreement

Since March 2006 the Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership has also been contributing towards achieving the Hertfordshire Local Area Agreements (LAA). We are now in the phase of LAA 2 which will run until March 2011

The Community Safety element of LAA2 falls under the theme of Safer and Stronger Communities.

Long Term Objective

Reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in our neighbourhoods and town centres

Short Term Actions

  • Reduce anti-social behaviour and disorder in our neighbourhoods and town centres through co-ordinated action led by the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs)

Measured by

NI 16 – Serious acquisitive Crime Rate

NI 17 – Perceptions of anti-social behaviour

NI 1 – % of people who believe people from different backgrounds get on well together in their local area.

  • Reduce repeat domestic violence and better support the victims of domestic violence through co-ordinated multi-agency actions

Measured by

NI 32 – Repeat incidents of domestic violence

  • Reduce drug and alcohol abuse through effective policing and expanded rehabilitation facilities to address addiction, particularly:

-alcohol abuse in East Herts, Stevenage and Welwyn Hatfield

-and smaller local hotspots

Measured by

N1 40 – Number of drug users recorded as being in effective treatment

PART THREE

Moving Forward / Strategic Assessment

Since 2007 the Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership has had a responsibility to produce a Partnership Strategic Assessment. The assessment includes data from partner agencies and helps paint a picture of what crime and ASB is like within the area of Three Rivers, identifying hotspot crime and disorder types and hotspot locations.

The Strategic assessment is reviewed completed on an annual basis which allows The Partnership to also review its priorities and targets on an annual basis.

Below are the new priorities and targets set for 2009-10

New Priorities

  • Reducing crime – particularly the following:
  • Burglary (Particularly dwelling burglaries)
  • Vehicle Crime
  • Violent Crime with an emphasis on Domestic Violence
  • ASB – including criminal damage and excluding abandoned vehicles and drug paraphernalia finds.
  • General ASB hotspots of South Oxhey, Maple Cross and Leavesden followed by Rickmansworth and Abbots Langley.
  • Underage drinking – Particularly in South Oxhey
  • Managing Offenders and PPO
  • Hate Crime (as we know this is under-reported)
  • Tackling the fear of crime

New Targets (To be based on 2008/09 end of year figures)

  • To reduce vehicle crime by 3%
  • To reduce criminal damage by 3%
  • To reduce burglary dwelling by 3%
  • To reduce burglary other by 3%
  • To reduce violent crime by 3%
  • To reduce the following types of ASB

-Graffiti – To reduce by 3% per year

-Fly tipping – To reduce by 4%per year

-Actual Abandoned Vehicles – No target

-Noise complaints – To reduce by 5% per year

  • Year on year increase the reporting of Domestic Violence incidents but reduce repeat incidents
  • Year on year increase reports of hate crime but reduce repeat incidents

Alcohol Strategy

From 2008 onwards the Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership also has a responsibility to produce an annual alcohol reduction strategy. Therefore the Partnership has included alcohol reduction as part of this Community Safety Strategy.

The Partnership will aim to carry out projects which target community safety, health and young people issues which are related to alcohol. However as the Partnerships Strategic Assessment highlighted the issue of underage drinking in relation to alcohol problems then this is the area where the Partnership will focus the majority of its efforts (in relation to alcohol).

The Partnership already has a Night Time Economy Action Plan in place which is available on request from the Community Safety Manager on 01923 776611 or at

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PART FOUR

2009/10 Action Plan

CDRP / LAA Priorities / Project / Outcome / Performance measure / Status / Partner -ship Funding
2009/10 / Invoices Paid / Lead Contact Details
Tackling criminal damage
Reducing ASB / Continued graffiti removal from both council owned (housing) and privately owned buildings. / A contribution towards reduction of criminal damage across the district / Number of graffiti reports
IQUANTA Criminal Damage data / Eileen Swiech
0208 421 5215

TACKLING ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR (Particularly in Hotspot areas)
Reducing ASB / Youth Inclusion Support Panel (YISP) –
Agency meetings
To help support young people who have been identified as at risk of offending. / A contribution towards a reduction of ASB in hotspot locations across the district / Police ASB figures for Three Rivers
The number of young people supported within the year. / Ranjit Gill – TRDC
01923 727327

Reducing ASB / Mill End Youth Project to run on a Friday night to offer young people in the area a range of diversionary activities. / A contribution towards a reduction of ASB in hotspot locations across the district. / Police ASB figures for Three Rivers
Number of young people attending / Hannah Cornock – TRDC
01923 727144

Reducing ASB / Watford Football Club – Diversionary activity for young people to be carried out in the hotspot areas identified within the Strategic Assessment as hotspots for ASB underage drinking. / Project set up in the areas of Mill End and Maple Cross
Number of children attending
Monitor Alcohol Paraphernalia finds in the chosen areas. / Number of children attending
Monitor Alcohol Paraphernalia finds in the chosen areas. / Neil Hart – WFC

01923 496258
ASB / Targeted Police patrols using the head cameras
7 x Head cameras to be worn by local police officers to capture CCTV footage / evidence of anti social behaviour occurring within public places within Three Rivers / Reduction in ASB due to the cameras acting as a deterrent.
Footage to be used as part of the ABC / ASBO process if needed. / A reduction in the number Police incidents logs where the Police do not deal with offenders who commit anti social behaviour. / Inspector George Holland
01923 472127

Reducing ASB
Reducing Crime
Reducing Fear of Crime / Use of re-deployable CCTV cameras at hotspot locations for ASB and crime.
Use of covert camera’s in neighbour/harassment cases / A contribution towards a reduction of ASB in hotspot locations across the district
A contribution towards a reduction in Crime within Three Rivers / Police ASB figures
IQUANTA Crime Data / Phillipa Scott – Community Safety Manager (TRDC)
01923 727356

TACKLING VEHICLE CRIME
Reducing Bicycle theft / Crime prevention panel to continue property marking within local schools as well as fitting number plate screws to vehicles across the district. / A contribution to a reduction in vehicle crime across Three Rivers / IQUANTA Vehicle Crime Data / Yogita Popat

BURGLARY (particularly dwelling)
Reduce Burglary / distraction burglary / The use of Memo cameras(covert cameras) across the district. / This initiative is intended to provide a reduction in this type of crime and to detect more.
It should send a message out to offenders that if they target victims in Herts (Three Rivers) this initiative will increase the likelihood they will be caught. / Crime statistics.
Number of detections and Arrests / Gary Sibson

01923 472020
Reducing Burglary / WHAC - To secure homes of vulnerable people within Three Rivers including those who have been victims of crime such as Burglary, Racist attacks and domestic violence attacks.
Carry out a minor repairs service for elderly / vulnerable residents
WHAC offer a reactive and proactive service. / A contribution to a reduction in Burglaries across Three Rivers
Vulnerable residents feel safer in their homes / IQUANTA Burglaries data
Customer satisfaction surveys / Nicola Stageman – West Herts Against Crime (WHAC)
01923 801138

ALCOHOL ISSUES AND TACKLING UNDERAGE DRINKING
Drugs and Alcohol / Conduct 2 test purchasing exercises within Three Rivers by the end of March 2010 / Action to be taken against premises who sell alcohol to underage people. / Number of schemes carried out and the results of the schemes / Cathy Fielding –Trading Standards

Drugs and Alcohol / Maintain the 2 Designated Public Place Order Zones which are currently in place within Three Rivers and consider future zones when necessary. / Monitor that the orders are continuing to impact upon alcohol related ASB in the designated Zones. / That there isn’t an increase in ASB incidents in the chosen areas. / Ranjit Gill
ASB Caseworker – TRDC
01923 727327

Drugs and Alcohol / NHS promotions around alcohol and drugs to be handed out a Partnership Open Days. / To raise awareness around the health implications of drug and alcohol misuse / Number of events held. / Phillipa Scott – TRDC
01923 727356

Drugs and Alcohol / Watford Football Club / As above / As Above / As above
Drugs and Alcohol / Age Check Scheme linking to the Validate UK Scheme / Licensed premises to be more aware of age check issues and to have the signage and literature for the scheme. / Reduction in under age sales from the chosen premises / Cathy Fielding – Trading Standards

MANAGING PPOs AND ASBOs
Reducing ASB / ASB Officer to work with the Police and other agencies to identify candidates for ASBO’s and ABC’s soto reduce the amount of ASB committed by persistent offenders within the District. / Successful ABC’s and ASBO’s obtained
A contribution towards a reduction of ASB in hotspot locations across the district / Police ASB figures for Three Rivers / Ranjit Gill

01923 727327
Reducing Volume Crime
Prolific Offenders / Targeting Prolific and other priority offenders
-Prevent and deter
-Catch and convict
-Rehabilitate and settle / A contribution towards a reduction in crime within Three Rivers / IQUANTA Crime Figures
Number of prolific offenders targeted / Nicola Ford – Herts Police
01923 472904

Drugs and alcohol / Drug Intervention Programme
  1. The Drugs Intervention Programme will work directly with drug misusing offenders, specifically those prolific and other priority offenders identified by the CDRP, to address substance misuse and offending behaviour with a view to reducing criminal activity.
  2. The programme will provide a through care and aftercare service which will co-ordinate and case manage drug misusing offenders through the criminal justice system, treatment and resettle offenders back into the community.
  3. The programme will work and deliver services in partnership with criminal justice agencies, and the voluntary and statutory sector to reduce drug related crime.
The programme will be made up of a multi-agency team including drug treatment workers, a clinical intervention team, police officers, probation officers, non statutory treatment providers, prisons and local authorities. / A contribution towards a reduction in Crime within Three Rivers
Reduction in drug related crime by PPO’s in Hertfordshire
Increase in the number of PPO’s retained in treatment in Hertfordshire
Increase in the number of PPO’s successfully completing treatment in Hertfordshire / IQUANTA Crime data
DIP Attendance figures / Brian Gale

TACKLING THE FEAR OF CRIME
Tackling the fear of crime / Continued graffiti removal from both council owned (housing) and privately owned buildings. / A contribution towards reduction of criminal damage across the district
A contribution towards reducing the fear of crime / Number of graffiti reports
IQUANTA Criminal Damage data / Eileen Swiech
0208 421 5215

Tackling the fear of crime / Community safety communications work / Raised awareness with the public regarding local community safety initiatives / Number of media hits (i.e. articles / radio coverage)
Number of enquires relating to the campaign / Kevin Snow – Press Relations Manger TRDC
01923 727255

VIOLENT CRIME AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Reducing violent crime / Domestic Violence Information Line / A contribution towards a reduction in DV incidents across the district / Police DV incident data for Three Rivers
Number of calls to the line / COG / Jo Gibson – DV Information line Co-ordinator

07770850480
Reducing Violent Crime / Domestic Violence Client Intervention Worker / Increased support for victims of Domestic Violence / Number of referrals made to the Client Intervention Worker
The
geography of clients within Three Rivers,
Locations of
Where client/worker meetings take place
Case studies and examples of long term outcomes of the intervention work. / Sandra Lewin

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PART FIVE

Three Rivers Community Safety Partnership Contacts

Community Safety Board

Area Commander
Chief Superintendent Jeremy Alford
Watford Police Station
Shady Lane
Watford
Hertfordshire
WD17 1DD
Telephone – 01923 472083
Email – / Sue Warman
Hertfordshire Police Authority
Leahoe House
Pegs Lane
Hertford
Hertfordshire
SG13 8DE
Email –
Gill Goodlad
Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust
Royalty House
King Street
Watford
Herts
Email – / Jon Smith
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
Watford Area Manager
Whippendell Road
Fire Station
Whippendell Road
Watford
WD18 7QW
Telephone – 01923 481957
Email –
Brian Gale
Crime and Drugs Strategy Unit
Hertfordshire County Council
County Hall
Pegs Lane
Hertford
SG13 8DE
Telephone – 01992 588103
Email – / Cllr Roger Seabourne
Three Rivers District Council
Three Rivers House
Northway
Rickmansworth
Hertfordshire
WD3 1RL
Email –
Steven Halls
Chief Executive
Three Rivers District Council
Three Rivers House
Northway
Rickmansworth
Hertfordshire
WD3 1RL
Telephone – 01923 727280
Email – / Kate Harvey
Hertfordshire Probation Service
Email –
Maureen Grundy JP
West Herts Magistrates Bench
/ David Ring
Children, Schools and Families

Community Safety Co-ordinating group

Inspector Holland
Watford and Three Rivers Police
Rickmansworth Police Station
Rectory Road
Rickmansworth
WD3 2AJ
Telephone – 01923 472127
Email – / Sally Patient
Communications Manager
Hertfordshire Police Authority
Leahoe House
Pegs Lane
Hertford
SG13 8DE
Telephone – 01992 555624
Email –
Phillipa Scott
Community Safety Manager Three Rivers District Council
Northway
Rickmansworth
WD3 1RL
Telephone – 01923 727356
Email – / Michael Nadasdy
Crime and Drugs Strategy Unit
Hertfordshire County Council
County Hall
Pegs Lane
Hertford
SG13 8DE
Telephone - 01438 844340
Email –
Phil Smith
Station Manager
Rickmansworth Fire Station
Rectory Road
Rickmansworth
Hertfordshire
WD3 2AJ
Telephone – 01923 481200
Email – / Michele Taylor Rose
Adult Care Services
Hertfordshire County Council
County Hall
Hertford
SG13 8DE
Telephone – 01992 588732
Email –
Ranjit Gill
Anti-social Behaviour Caseworker
Three Rivers District Council
Northway
Rickmansworth
WD3 1RL
Telephone – 01923 727354
Email – / Jacky Clementson
Youth Offending Team
36 Clarendon Road
Watford
Herts
WD1 1JQ
Telephone - 01923 229012
Email –
Cathy Fielding
Hertfordshire Trading Standards
Hertfordshire County Council
County Hall
Pegs Lane
Hertford
SG13 8DE
/ Fiona Linney
Chair of the Three Rivers Domestic Violence Forum
Thrive Homes
West Wing
Three Rivers House
Northway
Rickmansworth
Herts
WD3 1RL
Email –
Councillor Ann Shaw
Three Rivers District Council Leader
Three Rivers District Council
Northway
Rickmansworth
Herts
WD3 1RL
Email – / Azma Ahmad-Pearce
Housing Needs Section
Three Rivers District Council
Northway
Rickmansworth
WD3 1RL
Email –

PART SIX