Issue - meetings

The Committee received a report regarding policing and safer neighbourhoods trends.

 

The report outlined actions taken since the last reporting period. The current emerging issues/neighbourhood trends for each ward were also highlighted (see report for full details). Previous local areas of concern and engagement activity noted in the report were:

      i.         ASB and dangerous driving on Fen Road and the High Street and NO2 cannisters.

    ii.         Street based drug dealing

   iii.         Youth and knife crime

The Committee were advised that the Police had sent their apologies and were not able to attend the meeting and would instead attend the March 2021 meeting. 

Members asked a number of questions, as set out below.

 

1.    Noted in the national news about delays in court hearings and asked whether the courts in Cambridge were more efficient.

 

The ASB Officer responded that Courts were still hearing applications for injunctions via video link.  Officers had physically attended the County Court and she noted that strict social distancing measures were in place

 

2.    Noted that the link to the Police website within the report was incorrect and asked if this could be looked into and corrected.

 

Action: ASB Officer to liaise with the Police and the ASB Team to correct the link within the report.

 

3.    Referred to the Safer Streets Initiative and noted that a significant amount of work had been undertaken in the Arbury area. He noted the ASB Officer had referred to an issue outside shops in Carlton Way, this was also being addressed as part of this initiative. The initiative was about ensuring that vulnerable residents who had been targeted by burglary or lived in an area with a significant number of burglaries, were being contacted by the Police proactively to offer support as necessary.  

 

4.    Asked if Councillor Massey had been in touch with officers regarding a permanent CCTV in Fen Road. Also noted that a burglary had taken place where she lived a couple of days previously. She also noted that a couple of children had been approached by a couple of people in their 20s. She had spoken with the Police about this and if this occurred again she would liaise with the ASB Officer.

 

The ASB Officer was not aware of the request and any such request would need to go to the CCTV Manger rather than the ASB Team.

 

Action: ASB Officer to make enquiries with the CCTV Manager whether they had received a request for a permanent CCTV camera in Fen Road.

 

Members of the public asked the following questions:

5.    There have been multiple incidents of drug dealing and drug taking in the public footpath next to Kirkby Close recently and these have been reported to police. Given the repetitive nature of these activities in the same place, what is being done and what else can be done to tackle the problem? For example, is CCTV an option?

 

Police response provided in advance of the Committee

Incidents such as those reported are frustrating for all involved – due to their nature, suspicious activity such as suspected drug dealing is very rapid, and often even with a rapid deployment, it can all be over once police arrive. Targeted patrols can be tried and this may temporarily displace the issue rather than remove it altogether, but I will add it to the areas the North Team do patrol and we will try our best to ensure we pay regular visits to the location to bring this to an end.

In addition, I can ask the Community Safety Officer to attend the location with me and the correspondent (if they are willing) to look at the issues and see if there are measures that can be taken to ‘target harden’ the location. Things such as additional lighting, removal of greenery that can act as a ‘shield’ can help. I would also request that residents continue to report the issues so that we have an up to date picture of what is happening at the location.

 

 

 

6.    We saw the police attend Mariners Way on 16th November at 15:45 and speak to the group that have been loitering and dealing on the street.

 

On 17th November the group only appeared for 15 minutes, however today (18th November) they have been in situ since 2.45pm (it is now 4pm).  This is repeated behaviour 7 days a week for over 4 weeks, often from 10am until 4pm each day.

 

Please can you advise what action can be taken to deter them from loitering, and dealing on the streets.

 

There is also a collection of 'items' behind the bushes which are frequented for collection.  We would suggest that removing these bushes would make the area more visible, safe and less attractive for this type of behaviour.

Police response provided in advance of Committee

In relation to the below question, in terms of changes to the location, this would be something the police could be involved in providing advice. I can ask the Community Safety Officer to attend the location with me and the correspondent to look at the issues and see if there are measures that can be taken to ‘target harden’ the location. I can also ask the local policing team to carry out patrols of the area and request that residents continue to report the issues so that we have an up to date picture of what is happening at the location.

The following local areas of concern were unanimously agreed:

    i.           ASB and dangerous driving on Fen Road and the High Street and NO2 cannisters.

  ii.           Street based drug dealing

 iii.           Youth and knife crime