The results from the neighbourhoodwatch.net 2008 Survey reveal that nearly a third of Neighbourhood
Watch volunteers say they receive little or no support from their local police.
From our snapshot survey of just over 100 Watch co-ordinators and others involved in the movement, 26% said
they received 'a lot of support' from the police and 42% said they received 'some support'. 
A big plus for the police is the high level of Watch volunteers who say they know
the contact details for their neighbourhood policing team (77%).
The police also get a big tick for making local crime statistics available.
Nearly four-fifths of those who responded to our survey said they received local crime statistics regularly or occasionally.
Some 16% said they never received crime stats. And six-out-of-ten Neighbourhood Watch members report they are consulted when
it comes to setting the priorities for policing in their area.
But when it comes to seeing 'bobbies on the beat', neighbourhood policing does
not appear to have had any great effect in improving public perceptions. Only 14% said there had been a noticeable improvement
in police patrolling their streets; 40% said there had been 'no change' and 11% said that it had got worse."
The biggest complaints from Watch Co-ordinators across the UK appears to
be: lack of interest, support and communication from the Neighbourhood PC/NSO (as opposed to the PCSO's) for NHW co-ordinators;
lack of discussion/communications regarding local police initiatives & priorities from the police; lack of visibility
of the NSO/PC (as opposed to the PCSO's); lack of involving Watch co-ordinators/utilising their skills or taking them seriously.
Most worryingly a number of Watch schemes suggest their members were even contemplating the option of private policing/security
firms. Even more revelations about this in the next issue.
Note: we do not get crime stats; we are not consulted about policing, the neighbourhood
specialist officers (Redlands/University) do not contact Coordinators)
DEAFENING SILENCE…….?
Because of the worry of what the above might indicate, a letter and harmless survey was
constructed and sent to our local officers- the aim being to try to develop further working association between the police
and community/nhw and thus "buck" the worrying trend indicated above. It contained such questions as: has the nhw been useful;
are there regular contacts; would coordinators benefit from some training; would officers benefit from more info about the
watch; can contacts/working links be better developed etc. The goal was that in time some sort of best practice model could
be constructed of help to both police and watch coordinators - since we are all supposed to be working together since the
roll out of neighbourhood policing. Has it been a case of deafening silence (ignore them and they’ll go away) or suppression
result has been a deafening silence or has it? Full details in the next issue!! (ever the idiotic optimistic, we wait in forlorn
hope that East End officers will allowed to complete the survey). Full details on this story in the next issue of THE SENTINEL
August.
SUSPICIOUS VEHICLES REGISTRATIONS
We are keeping our own log of suspicious
vehicles (drugs related) in our area and of those supplied from other Watch areas. Two vehicles especially have been noted
and the registration numbers of these are available to you- if you wish to help keep an eye open for them please contact me.
PROLIFIC TAGGER
The tag or initials "TPK suddenly appeared in abundance across parts of Redlands
on several streets and some University property. It is thought that the person doing may be known to the police and has been
previously dealt with in some form or other. Incidents were reported to the police and logged. (action :reported to police
EA3107215). Note: e number of these tags have now been removed.
SUSPICIOUS INCIDENT MARLBOROUGH AVE
A Watch member in Marlborough
Avenue observed suspicious car and occupants on night of 7th June, incl. shouting/swearing/arguing, loud music. Vehicle came
and went several times. It then came back with a third person in the back of the car. Stayed for a short time then sped off;
very odd. (action: Police called out. Ah amazing something happened! or did it?)
RABBITS OUT OF HATS…..
In the old days vaudeville artistes used to pull rabbits out of hats. These days
a strange phenomenon has been observed whereby local neighbourhood officers are put into hats. It is thought this may be the
work of interstellar aliens operating in East Reading, the process being known as "abstraction", their goal being to pull
the wool over the eyes of humans who were publicly promised by their masters neighbourhood policing would mean dedicated teams
who could not be beamed over to awaiting missions in other localities- which presumably also has its alien interference. The
officers appear to be dropped back into their locality a short time after but then disappear again later - we do not know
if they suffer any side-effects. Our investigators will be contacting the RAF UFO surveillance unit at Corsham to ascertain
if they know anything.
THE INVISIBLE UNIFORM……
A related phenomenon has been that of the case of the invisible NSO/PC uniforms &
the bodies inside them. This process is even more alarming since individuals suffering from this alien intrusion apparently
are officially in the place they are supposed to be on duty but are never seen and no one is contacted or visited by them.
It also only seems to affect specific individuals targeted by this sinister plot. Since we do not wish to be alarmist, we
have to say that it could be a simple case that they have been misplaced in a large lost property bunker somewhere and that
this is not the work of aliens after all. The phenomenon does not appear to be endemic across the whole of Reading fortunately
but only one or two sectors. Our enquiries are proceeding.
AREA PROBLEM VISUAL AUDIT BY THE SENTINEL
The APVA's are now being done weekly
in parts of Redlands by The Sentinel. Additional various other Watch Co-ordinators and Residents Associations are inspecting
their own streets.
Roads checked this month by a small group of us were: Marlborough Avenue/Elmhurst Roads/
Cintra Avenue/ Whitley Park Lane Whitby Drive/Lancaster Close/part Allcroft Road/Redlands Road/Kendrick Road/The Mount/The
Acacias/Christchurch Road; Avebury Square/New Road/part Upper Redlands Road/Glebe Road/
1. Cannabis wraps found in Kendrick Road and Redlands Road. (action: police URN1235)
2. Several cannabis wraps found at The Mount. (action: police
URN1235)
3. Also at Progress Theatre Car Park (also hypodermic syringes). (action: police URN1235)
4.Fresh outbreak of graffiti in Elmhurst Road and in Redlands Road/Allcroft
Road and Alexandra Road: fences, utilities, street signs, lamp-posts etc: tagger = TPK (action: police EA3107215 also University and RBC informed )
5. Person observed smoking cannabis outside of shops
on Christchurch Green.
6.Graffiti on shops shutters at Christchurch Green have now been painted out.
7. Congratulations to the Watch member in Marlborough Avenue reported suspicious
car & occupants on night of 7th June, incl. shouting/swearing/arguing, loud music. Vehicle came and went several times,
very odd. (action: Police called out.)
8. Watch member on Elmhurst Road maintaining feed back on gas repairs/problem.
9. Evidence of 'crack' Marlborough Avenue (action: reported:
URN1274)
10. Students have broken down the fence onto the road next to the gate
post of the gates of the athletics pavilion car park (action- reported to Anne Westgarth, University
9 June)
11.Unsightly jumble of property agency signs on roadside outside flats
on Christchurch Road. I believe there is no need for this blight: once a property has been sold or let we do not need "let
by" or "let agreed" or "sold by"- this is street advertising pure and simple!! (action reported to
Councillors)
12. Graffiti on St.George's Hall fence Elmhurst Road now painted out.
13. Broken fence at Athletics Pavilion reported some weeks ago not repaired as
at 29 June.
14. Manhole cover repaired in Marlborough Avenue.
15. Transco road work Elmhurst Road finished. No news on what the solution was.
16. There was an instance of forced entry into a garage in Marlborough Avenue
this week, the lock being severed with bolt cutters.
17. Travellers returned Cintra: 1 caravan/2 camper vans/some vans/flat bed trucks.
18. Road works in Christchurch Rd nr.Vicarage Rd/temp.traffic lights.
If you would like to join future APVA's get in touch! If you have anything to report for next issue let me know. It should also be reported to
the Police, Councillors, & RBC.
JOIN US FOR AN APVA WALKIES
Concerned/interested in your neighbourhood and what affects it?
Further to the APVA (Area Problem Visual Audit) initiated as reported
in The Sentinel Newsletter for June, these Audits are now taking place weekly as of June 7th.since otherwise
they will be out of date by Newsletter publishing day. Additionally it gives scope for better feed-back and co-operation and
vigilance for us all. However a resumé of all Audits will be published each month in the Newsletter.
(Note that the weekly Audits will be confidential for Watch Co-ordinators,
Residents Association Chairmen and Watch members and no one else).
PLEASE REMEMBER if you do not report it then quite simply it did not happen!
So please report ALL that you see to the police and get a reference number (this will either be prefixed "URN" or "EA". I
would also be grateful for feedback). But there again perhaps I was wrong for the last 8 years, and
you are wasting your time, maybe the crime desk in the media would take your concerns more seriously.
APVA's provide for some nice exercise, it helps the police crack down on crime,
it helps us to work together better- why not come out for a walk?
JOLLY COSTUMES
The University Summer Ball appears to have gone off with very little problem compared
to previous years, no doubt due in part to then more intensive education programme and disciplinary procedures at the University
and better community-university feedback. Apart from a little noise around 6am we got off quite lightly and no doubt the Ball
was enjoyed by all.
A few days later some event in the Campus one evening attracted a variety of students
walking there along Elmhurst Road in excellent costumes ranging from French sailors, to Hawaian dancers, clowns and Frisian
cows! Reminds one of the good old creative days of student life !
CINTRA LAWNS PROTECTION PROPOSALS
I have been in regular contact with Cllrs.
Bayes and Benson about the need for protection of Cintra Avenue Lawns. They have been active in this regard. If you go to
the url link http://www.redlandslibdems.org.uk/travellers/ you will see the proposals which have been made for the perimeter and the type of
fencing suggested. You can also post your comments on that website.
The essence of course is that this is a valuable green space made especially charming
and enhanced by the avenues of trees. It effectively makes the area like an old fashioned "square" with gardens. It is a major
feature of the Redlands area and its conservation and it is important that they are protected.
UPDATE: I have just heard (June 26) from Cllr. Benson
(with whom I have been in touch on this matter regularly) re. her pressure on the Council to get something done about the
latest travellers and getting the area protected. This is her latest news from the Council:
'The legal team are expecting to have a court hearing the middle of next week
with an eviction due to be carried out by the end of next week and the work to install the fencing around the site will commence
on the Sunday 6th July. This is subject to the legal team experiencing no delays with the court.'
WHITEKNIGHTS STUDIO TRAIL
The weekend of 21-22 June
saw the annual Redlands Artists Trail. 33 artists in 21 venues opened up their studios and homes to the public. I went around
and saw a lot of residents visiting; it brought a cheery, safe, relaxing, villagey and cultured ambience to the neighbourhood.
Such things along with initiatives by Neighbourhood Watch and Residents Associations and The Sentinel bring the community
together and help us to help each other and fight and reduce crime where it matters- on our own streets. At the end of the
day its down to us and us alone to help each other. The even was generously sponsored by Reading University, and also supported
by the Reading Guild of Artists.
OFF-LICENSES CHECKED
Off-licenses are being check regularly
in the area by PCSO Toro Akylidiz to check their refusal log book. PCSO's have the right to see alcohol licenses, to note
the attitude of the shopkeeper when asked for information, see the refusal log book and other records. Toro plans to maintain
visibility to continue to reduce under age drinking. It is an offence for anyone to sell alcohol to a person under 18 and
our local police teams will take this matter very seriously.
Other PCSO news:
3rd June Sally and Karen attended The Abbey School Assembly
where we were asked to speak to 12/13 year olds on Personal safety, dealing with ‘difficult ‘adults, personal
details on the internet and a day in the life of a PCSO.
Torro and Karen helped the University with their open days by talking
to and helping potential students and families.
KATESGROVE E.V.A's
The following Environmental Visual Audits
have been arranged for the Katesgrove area:
Tuesday 24th June 2008 at 10.30hrs Area 3 meet Elgar Road South J/W Waterloo Rise
Tuesday 29th July 2008 at 10.30hrs Area 4 meet Waterloo Meadows
Tuesday 26th August 2008 at 10.30hrs Area 1 Meet Whitley Street opposite shops
Tuesday 23rd September 2008 at 10.30hrs Area 2 meet Katesgrove Lane J/W Pell Street
Tuesday 28th October 2008 at 10.30hrs Area 3 meet Elgar Road South J/W Waterloo
Rise.
Tuesday 25th November 2008 at 10.30hrs Area 4 meet Waterloo Meadows
Tuesday 22nd December 2008 at 10.30hrs Area 1 meet Katesgrove Lane J/W Pell Street
Like our own APVA's, EVA's are a means to check on local problems and get something
done. EVA's are run by the NAG's and deal essentially with environmental problems since a downgraded environment leads to
more crime. Our own APVA's deal these matters and also all other matters.
PCSO RAFAL GORNIAK
PCSO's Carla Irvine, Omendra
Gurung and Rafal Gorniak visited to discuss local issues. The new PCSO for Redlands, Rafal Gorniak, has now completed his
training and is out on independent patrol. His number is: 07825774894
KATESGROVE
PCSO SURGERIES
Katesgrove Neighbourhood Policing Team
Police surgeries are being held at:
Waterloo Meadows Community Centre, Elgar Road
Come in and talk to your local police community support officers about any problems or issues
that you may have. They are here at the following dates.
Wednesday 2 July 2008 – 12pm – 2pm
Wednesday 13 August 2008 – 12pm – 2pm
Wednesday 10 September 2008 – 12pm – 2pm
Wednesday 8 October 2008 – 12pm – 2pm
Wednesday 5 November 2008 – 12pm – 2pm
Wednesday 3 December 2008 – 12pm – 2pm
Hope to see you there. PCSO
Katie Gillan & PCSO Rod Holmes
POLICE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY….?
Let's hope and pray so…..: West Yorkshire’s Chief Constable will deliver
two key note addresses on national policing issues at the Association of Chief Police Officers’ Summer Conference this
week. Sir Norman Bettison, will lead a debate on: `The Future of Policing’ as well as take part
in a session on countering terrorism: `The Prevent Agenda in Action’ Positive and sensitive local policing is the key
to building trust and long-term relationships with communities if future atrocities are to be prevented, added Sir Norman
Bettison.
Looking ahead to the anticipated Government Green Paper on the: `The Implications
for Policing,’ Sir Norman said it was essential to ensure that the police service continued to `target its efforts on
tackling what matters most to people, continued to provide local leadership and to be held to account locally.’
Editor: One can only hope that in due course this will mean that the local
police in the uk will start trusting us, work with us, take our suggestions seriously, act on our information, support us
when we stick our heads up above the parapet, and actually regard us as allies and partners rather than a pain in the ass
and fob us off! Despite the good work of the NAGS the police seem loathe to engage with grass roots or build the links with
us: we are willing to help them in their work, and we who suffer the crimes and also pay their salaries. That is where the
Neighbourhood Watch and Residents Associations should be their first priority for so called neighbourhood policing. Crime
rates would soar if locally active individuals and groups stopped reporting crime/suspicions/ information. We are at the sharp
end of crime and it is our views and support they must embrace!! People only have a certain amount of patience after years
of voluntary work supporting the police, before they start to wonder if it is worth having a police force in its present form
at all and if there are other ways of structuring things.
PCSO BLACKBERRY'S
Local PCSO's have begin
training with the new specially commissioned police blackberry communications systems (see last two issues of the Newsletter)
which will be replacing their mobile phones.
THAMES VALLEY POLICE 40. BIRTHDAY
Congratulations from The Sentinel to the Thames Valley Police which celebrated
its 40th anniversary at the former police training college at Eynsham Hall near Witney on 8 June. The Force was formed on
1 April 1968 by bringing together the police forces of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, the City of Oxford and
Reading Borough. This year, to mark the 40th anniversary, a number of events have been organised, including Sunday’s
celebration at Eynsham Hall – formerly No. 5 District Police Training Centre. Eynsham Hall very generously provided
the venue for free, and the event was sponsored by Logica, a leading IT and business services company, and Mouchel, a business
services company.
Around 500 past and present members of staff, and Thames Valley dignitaries, were
invited to the event where there were exhibitions and artefacts from the last four decades and retired officers were back
in their old uniform showing former officers around the building where they were once put through their paces.
The Force helicopter was on show, together with an armed response vehicle, a police
car, police horse, police dog and a police puppy in training.
Activities for children were be on offer together with music provided by the Oxfordshire
Youth Flute Ensemble, entertainment by a local Irish dancing troupe and high tea was also provided for all guests.
Chief Constable Sara Thornton cut a birthday cake to commemorate the past 40 years
and presented certificates to current members of staff who have completed 40 years service with the Force.
MOBILES OUT- BLACKBERRYS IN
Thames Valley Police have begun
taking delivery of a new device which will allow officers to spend more time on the beat. 1,100 police officers and police
community support officers (PCSOs) are swapping their mobile phones for handheld computers called BlackBerrys - a device which
will give them mobile access to the police national computer (PNC) system.
And not having to return to their police station base to get hold of information from
computers systems will give staff extra time to spend with their communities, making them more efficient.
Officers who have access to databases, such as PNC, command and control and intelligence
systems while out on patrol will spend less time returning to the station and more time on the frontline – therefore
increasing visibility and reassuring the public.
This builds on previous work carried out on a small scale and will streamline
access to inforation at the point of operational decision making.
POLICE STAFF CHANGES NEWTOWN
Last month saw PC Pete O’Brien
leave. He has gone to a different department in Reading. In his place we welcome PC Betsy North. Betsy says: "My first month
as a Newtown Neighbourhood Specialist Officer has been a busy one. I have attended meetings with housing associations in order
to resolve community issues and also attended an EVA in the Watlington Street area to try and improve the appearance of the
area."
DID YOU KNOW THAT…?
There are only 2 Police Boxes
(the thing Doctor Who rides around in) left in the UK? One in the National Police Museum and the other in Nottingham- which
would have rotted away save for the enthusiasm of a retiring constable. Shows how careless and lacking in pride things have
got!
Organised crime costs the UK £30billion a year with drugs the main source at £4.6billion?
There are 30 main importers, 300 wholesalers and 70,000 dealers. 25-35 tonnes of heroin and 35-45 tonnes of cocaine enter
the UKL each year.
EDITORIAL
There has been
a complete re-focussing of 'The Sentinel'. Speaking with many in the area it is clear there is a feeling of having been duped
and betrayed. So after years of being totally unstinting in support of the police and allowing no criticism, it is now TOTALLY
independent and does not offer a platform for any statutory body. It will be a voice for those who live here and genuinely
care. It will be outspoken in both criticism and praise on any matter related to crime and law and order and policing. Pre-notification
of some items in the next issue are:
The Phantom Police Officer .
National Agencies say the Police must do much more to support us.
Failure of 20 Police Forces to cooperate with Racism Audit.
Tasers and Police Days off.
Is it Worth Your Bothering To Report a Crime anymore?
Failure of NHW Week & TVP NHW Association.
This and the next issue is dedicated to all those jobsworths out there who
help undermine the voluntary sector and the decent citizen who do their utmost to support the police and get slapped in the
face and have the piss taken out of them.
And to the valiant NHWatchs and Residents Associations and others: know that
your time will come and that those who wrecked and undermined our good name, our support and our valiant service will be get
their come-uppance: history will out.
