Community safety
The Community Safety team leads on and contributes to various special community safety projects and initiatives. These projects are very important to the safety, well-being and future of every single resident of and visitor to Wandsworth. This special work is in the forefront of helping to ensure that Wandsworth continues to be the 'safer borough'. Current projects and initiatives include:
No Cold Calling Zone Scheme
Wandsworth's Community Safety Division, Trading Standards and the West Putney Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) joined forces last year to pilot the 'No Cold Calling Zone' scheme. The pilot was launched on 3rd February 2007 in the presence of the Mayor, Cllr Cousins the Cabinet member for Regeneration and Community Safety along with West Putney SNT, Trading Standards and Community Safety. The idea behind this scheme is to prevent distraction burglars entering elderly and vulnerable people's homes. Trading Standards are also interested in dodgy traders who offer to mend fences and roofs or tarmac drives and then rip off the person, charging ridiculous prices and often going back for more later. Find out more.
Not In My Neighbourhood Week
A new initiative was introduced in 2007 by the Home Office entitled 'Not in my Neighbourhood Week'. Police Services and other partners took up the initiative across the country. The Council considered, through its various directorates, how best to support the event and the Technical Services Department was asked to co-ordinate the programme on behalf of the Council through the Community Safety Division. More than 30 organisations and groups participated in the planning and delivery of events during the week. Find out more.
LGBT Forum
The LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgendered) Network started in 2005 with the support of GALOP (Gay London Police Monitoring Group) to improve the lives of LGBT people in Wandsworth. It is open to all lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered people, who live, work, study, or socialise within Wandsworth. Wandsworth Council Community Safety were instrumental in the set up of the LGBT Forum and continues to support the forum in its purpose. Click here to visit the Wandsworth LGBT Network website. You can also click on the link below to download the hate crime information postcard, which lists some very useful phone numbers and websites.
 Hate crime information postcard (645 kb)
Barnes Station Project
Have you ever felt afraid whilst in or around Barnes Station? Have you ever been the victim/witness of a crime or an act of anti-social behaviour whilst in or around Barnes Station? In a long-term joint project the British Transport Police, Metropolitan Police, Richmond Council, South West Trains and Wandsworth Council, are working together to tackle the problems with personal safety, crime and fear of crime in and around Barnes Station.
As part of the project we have conducted a survey in order to discover what the users of Barnes Station feel are the issues with safety and crime in and around the station. This survey is very important in helping us establish all the issues so that we can best tackle the problem and improve the safety and security of the station and it's vicinity. We have analysed the survey results and a summary is available to download below. The findings have been shared with the Richmond Council, Police and other partners and action is now being taken to make improvements in and around the station.
Barnes Station Safety Project Summary Analysis (318 kb)
Distraction Burglary Project
'Don't let anyone into your home unless you are expecting him or her, even if they say it is urgent'. The message above is what our Distraction Burglary Officer is passing on to all pensioners in Wandsworth'... Find out more.
Aladdin's Cave - recovering stolen property
The Aladdin's Cave scheme has continued to succeed in reuniting victims of burglary with their property with another event this Autumn. Once again dozens of items were on display at the Town Hall on Saturday 20th September as part of this special police and council scheme, just one of the many aspects of the Partnership commitment to tackling burglary in Wandsworth. 252 people turned up and not only had the chance to reclaim stolen goods but also had the opportunity to get some excellent crime prevention advice.
Items that have been recovered, displayed and returned to victims over the course of the scheme include jewellery, watches, medals, computers, flat screen televisions, bicycles, mobile phones and game consoles. These items had been found in the possession of suspected burglars during police investigations. Since the scheme began in 2007 20 people have been reunited with their property.
As part of what is now a bi-annual event officers from the police and council are on hand to give advice on such things as ID fraud prevention, property marking and avoiding doorstep crime. Another Aladdin's Cave day is scheduled for spring so watch this space. In the meantime you can read more information and advice from this initiative in the following links: Burglary victims can reclaim their goods (Sep 2008); Aladdin's cave for burglary victims (Sep 2008); Aladdin's Cave for burglary victims (Feb 2008); Aladdin's Cave joy for burglary victims (Sep 2007).
Roehampton Student Safety Project
In 2003 a student safety and fear of crime survey was distributed to 700 Roehampton University Students after a number of local and national reports and publications highlighted concerns about student safety and fear of crime. The results of the survey were presented in a report and a monitoring group was set up to address and deal with the issues that were highlighted. An aim of this project has been to direct the focus more towards young people as victims of crime rather than perpetrators.
For a copy of the Roehampton project report and for other research on student victimisation visit the Crime Reduction website. You can also visit the Roehampton Student Union website and for more information and advice on student safety visit the Home Office student safety website.
Domestic Violence
The Community Safety team are very committed to helping to reduce this crime, a crime that affects many people from various backgrounds and in various situations. For more information on how to tackle domestic violence visit the Wandsworth Social Services Domestic Violence webpage
You can also download the following publications on domestic violence in Adobe's pdf format.
You don't have to live in fear of domestic violence (129 kb)
Advice on how to cope with domestic violence and how to receive help if you are the victim of domestic violence. Domestic violence is much more common than most people realise. Even if you are not experiencing it yourself, you may know someone who is. This leaflet may help you help them.
Loves me, loves me not (443 kb)
Advice on how to cope with domestic violence and how to receive help if you are the victim of domestic violence. If you are being threatened or physically or sexually assaulted by someone you live with, that is domestic violence. Domestic violence is controlling and aggressive behaviour and includes all kinds of physical, sexual and emotional abuse within all kinds of intimate relationship.
Late night disorder
Late night disorder is mainly linked to people drinking too much and is usually concentrated in the five Town Centres in Wandsworth. Both the Council and the Police take this form of disorder very seriously and have a system to monitor the Town Centres. In addition to their normal duties, the CCTV Control Room staff monitor the five centres from 10pm to 3am on Friday and Saturday nights. They are linked into the Police control room and can assist them in their response to any incidents recorded on the cameras. The Control Room staff act as extra eyes for the Police, which is particularly helpful if they are very busy. In 2007 the CCTV controllers assisted on more than 480 late night disorder incidents including over 80 incidents that lead to arrests (a total of 108 arrests were recorded).
Monitoring meetings are held every two months at which the Police, Community Safety, Licensing , Bus Operators, British Transport Police and Town Centre Managers discuss any major issues arising from the reports. The discussions often revolve around the management of the clubs and pubs in the Borough, transport problems associated with getting the people away from the area and home after the end of their evening out and where the hot spots for trouble are situated. Street crime in the early hours is also monitored very closely, particularly the theft of mobile phones or crime problems related to the use of cash points.
This group will have an important role in monitoring any problems arising from the recent changes in the Licensing Laws. For more information about those changes visit the Licensing section of this site.
Pot in the fridge
Recent concern has been raised in the Wandsworth community that should a resident fall victim of an unexpected emergency they might, for whatever reason, be unable to communicate to the emergency services and care agencies details of their medical conditions, allergies etc. Insufficient knowledge of these conditions could delay urgent and life saving treatment.
The 'Pot in the fridge' is a simple but extremely effective way for householders to store information on individual medical conditions, next of kin etc. that is then made available to the emergency services in the case of a collapse or other accident in the home.
The 'Pot in the fridge' is a clearly labelled plastic container in which a completed form is stored. The pot, which bears an 'emergency information' sticker, is then placed in the refrigerator. A second sticker is then placed on the front of the fridge to indicate that the pot is inside and a third on the inside of the front door. This indicates to the emergency services that this emergency information is available to them.
The scheme, which is a partnership initiative between the Council, Borough Neighbourhood Watch Association, London Fire Brigade, Primary Care Trust, London Ambulance Service and the Leonard Cheshire Foundation, was launched at the end of January 2006 and within the first three weeks a life had been saved. We are aiming to get a pot in every home in the borough but priority has been given in the first instance to elderly and vulnerable residents.
If you would like to take part in the scheme and have your very own FREE 'Pot in the fridge' then you can pick one up from your doctor, day centre, luncheon club, the library and any chemist in the borough. Alternatively you can contact the Council direct and we will send you a pot. Call Al Busa on (020) 8871 6584 or email him at abusa@wandsworth.gov.uk. |
