Launch of Halloween Campaign
North Down District Policing Partnership has launched its Halloween Campaign aimed at anti social behaviour. Speaking on the launch, Chairman of the DPP, Councillor Alex Easton, MLA advised:
North Down DPP recently undertook consultation across North Down. We undertook statistical research and met with over 40 groups from across the Borough. From these meeting we identified the top concerns of the residents as
1.Anti social behaviour / youths causing annoyance / underage drinking
2.Domestic burglary
3.Roads policing
4.Assaults
5.Criminal damage
Councillor Easton continued, ‘through the DPP, the community has a real voice on local policing and I believe the Partnership has become an important and accepted part of local policing that is bringing policing closer to the community and the community closer to policing. Just as the consultation process is an important part of the DPP’s community engagement activity, it is vital for the community to engage with and support the Police Service as together we can make our community safer for everyone.
Councillor Easton concluded, ‘Since I have been Chair, the DPP has consistently worked on behalf of the community in dealing with local policing issues and problems. These have included anti social behavior, criminal damage and underage drinking. We are delighted to work with local PSNI in this campaign and will be issuing information cards to the community on how to report crime through Neighbourhood Policing Officers. I would urge any member of the community who has a concern or issue to come along and talk to us - we are here, ready and willing to listen to you.’
North Down PSNI Area Commander, Chief Inspector Mark McEwan added some key safety messages for the Halloween Campaign
•Fireworks require a licence - except indoor fireworks and sparklers
•It is illegal to possess, purchase, sell, handle or use fireworks except under licence
•Only adults should light or handle fireworks
•Never ever go back to a firework once lit - even if it does not go off
•When watching fireworks, stand well back
•It is an offence to throw fireworks in the street or other public places
•Always supervise children around fireworks
•Never give sparklers to children under the age of five
•Light sparklers one at time and always wear gloves
•Keep a bucket of water close by and put sparklers in it when they go out
•You can be fined up to £5,000 for breaking the law in relation to fireworks
Police recommend that fireworks should be purchased from reputable licensed dealers, not from market stalls or individuals selling door-to-door. If you have information about illegal fireworks sales contact your local police station. These fireworks may not be British Standard approved and could be extremely dangerous.
BONFIRES
Always
Make sure the bonfire is located away from houses, buildings and overhead cables.
Keep the bonfire to a manageable size - the bigger the fire the bigger the risk.
Never
Sleep in a makeshift hut while the bonfire is being built. This could be fatal if the fire is lit prematurely.
Use petrol or paraffin to light the bonfire. Domestic firelighters are safer.
Use old tyres, tar or scrap rubber on the bonfire. Avoid using foam-filled furniture, aerosols, gas cylinders and paint. Uncontrolled burning of these substances can affect air and water quality and harm the environment.
Report any suspicious activity to the police - don't assume someone else will.
The message is simple- enjoy Halloween, but be sensible and don’t break the law.
A Message In A Bottle For North Downs Older Residents
The safety of older and vulnerable residents in North Down took an other step forward this week with the launch of a new initiative called “Message In A Bottle”.
The initiative is encouraging the elderly and other vulnerable residents to keep a small plastic bottle containing their personal, medical and next of kin information in the fridge so that it can be accessed in an emergency by the ambulance, police or fire service. Stickers placed on the fridge and inset of residents front doors alert the emergency services that the householder has a bottle in the fridge.
Cllr John Montgomery Chair of North Down Community Safety Partnership at the lunch of the project welcomed the new initiative as just another step forward in helping to increase the safety of older and vulnerable residents in North Down. This is a simple and practical tool, which, with the help of the full range of our partner organisations should enable the bottles to reach most of North Downs vulnerable residents.
Miss Dorothy Beattie of Age Concern North Down one of the main collection points for the “Fee Bottles” stated that the bottles used by local residents will go some way in allowing emergency services to make more timely and informed treatment to vulnerable residents who have say fallen ill and require the proper informed and immediate medical interventions.
The detailed information contained within the plastic bottles according to Ms Beattie will inform emergency services not only of particular medical conditions and medication of the individual, but will also provide accurate information on how to contact a next of kin. So, for those family members who have an elderly family member living alone either full or partime then this is an opportunity for you to help others to help your loved ones if and when the occasion arisies
Funded by the N.Ireland Community Safety Unit, the N.I Policing Board and Ni Ambulance Service, the initiative has also been warmly welcomed by Cllr Tony Hill Chairman of North Down district policing Partnership. Cllr Hill who is also Chair of the over 50s Forum is urging all of North Down older residents to obtain a Message in a Bottle.
Free “Message In A Bottle can be collected from:
- North Down Age Concern: 02891 271968
- North Down Housing Executive: 028-9127 0761
- North Down Community Safety Partnership: 028-91 278070
- North Down District Policing Partnership: 028-91 278054.
- North Down PSNI 028-91474974
- North Down Community Network: 028-9146 1386
- North Down Home Accident Prevention Service
Community Safety Day for Older Persons
Hot on the heels of Moneywise came the recent North Down Over 50s Forum event which concentrated on Crime, Policing and Community Safety.
“North Down District Policing Partnership is delighted to be supporting this initiative,” said Forum Chairman and Chair of North Down DPP, Cllr Tony Hill. “It provides an excellent opportunity to establish the views of the older community on crime and policing and allow local people to shape local policing. The DPP will take the information obtained on the day and from meetings with groups throughout the community and use it to agree policing priorities with the District Commander. The DPP will agree targets and then monitor the Police performance towards those targets to ensure North Down is a safer place for us all. “Whilst crime does happen in North Down like anywhere else, past and current statistics show that older people, in particular, are less likely to be victims of crime. Recorded crime figures have indicated for some time that crime in the Borough is significantly lower than the average for the whole of Northern Ireland. However, in recognising that crime does happen in the Borough it is important that local people help shape local policing.”
North Down District Commander, Chief Superintendent Graham Shields, said " I am delighted to offer our support to this very worthwhile event. Personal Safety and Home Safety information will be delivered by my officers, with the aim of making people feel safer and providing reassurance to the local Community".
Christmas Campaign
In December 2007, North Down District Policing Partnership in conjunction with North Down District Command Unit undertook a Christmas Safety Campaign. An information card containing guidance on how to improve personal safety and reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of domestic burlglarly was produced and circulated to every home in the Borough.
Pesonal Safety Packs for Students
North Down & Ards Institute in partnership with North Down & Ards PSNI, North Down & Ards District Policing Partnership and North Down & Ards Community Safety Partnership has produced a personal safety pack for students. The pack was launched at Freshers Week and PSNI and other participants were on hand to discuss the contents of the packs and give personal safety advice.
The pack was designed in conjunction with former students from the college and distributed to new students during freshers week. Each pack contained the following information: Personal attack alarms, UV Markers, Crime reduction tips for students, Health Promotion Agency Information, Information from North Down & Ards Domestic Violence Partnership, Proof of age card scheme, alcotop drinks protectors and safe driving messages.
Funding for the packs was provided from each of the partners and from the Deputy Chief Constable’s Policing with the Community Fund.
Superintendent Graham Shields, the PSNI District Commander in North Down said, "This is an innovative partnership initiative aimed at raising awareness on personal safety issues amongst the students at North Down and Ards Institute. My officers will be on hand to offer advice in addition to the important information, which is included in the personal safety packs."
Chairman of North Down DPP, Alderman Leslie Cree MLA stated ‘ The DPP were delighted when approached by the college to work together for the personal safety of the students. It is important that we protect all members of the community and keep them informed of the ways in which they can protect themselves and their property. The project hopes to build trusting and meaningful relationships between Police officers and young people’.
Chairman of North Down Community Safety Partnership, Councillor Roberta Dunlop stated ‘ this initiative represents a new multi agency approach to enable the student sector in particular to take more responsibility for their personal safety, lifestyle and behaviour’.
Mr John Kerr from North Down & Ards Institute added his support to the initiative ‘through collaborative working we can all improve the safety of our community and ourselves. This is the first stage in what we all hope will be a long and productive partnership. We welcome support of the DPP, CSP and PSNI from both North Down & Ards in this cross Council initiative’.
Domestic Burglary Roadshow
North Down PSNI and District Policing Partnership teamed up to deliver a “Safe As Houses” roadshow at various locations throughoutNorth Down. The aim of the roadshow was to give practical home security advice to homeowners on how to make their homes more secure as well as displaying home security equipment.
In North Down between April 2003 and April 2004 there were 492 burglaries reported to police. Many of the burglaries occurred at houses, which were vacant and several of the houses targeted had no home security measures (e.g. house alarm) in place.
Speaking at the launch Chairman of the DPP Councillor Alan Graham stated ‘Last year the DPP undertook meetings and surveys throughout Bangor and Holywood and the main area of concern was that of domestic burglary. As a result the DPP and PSNI are working together to make the public aware of what they can do to protect their homes and property.
Welcoming the joint initiative, which will take place at 8 venues across North Down over the next two months. Chief Inspector Colin Mclean , North Down PSNI Community Safety manager added , “ The Safe as Houses roadshow aims to raise awareness of home security and how by taking measures , you can reduce the risk of being a burglary victim. Between April 2003 and April 2004 there were 492 burglaries reported to police in North Down and we continually aim to reduce this figure.”
Over 7 Roadshows were held from April to June 2005.
For further information or for free Crime Prevention advice contact the Crime prevention office at Bangor PSNI on telephone 91474974 or e mail cponorthdown@nics.gov.uk.
Information provided at each Roadshow included