The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “S”) provides an update of work undertaken by the Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team during the year 2017-2018.

Recommended –

(1)  That the work undertaken by the Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team during the year 2017-2018, that contributed to addressing Community Safety priorities within the Ward Plans for the Keighley area, be noted.

(2)  That the positive partnership working to address crime and community safety between the Police, elected Members, Parish and  Town Councils, Bradford Council officers, community organisations, volunteers and residents within the Keighley area be noted.

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Jonathan Hayes – 01353 618008)

The report of the Strategic Director, Place, (Document “S”) provided an update of work undertaken by the Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team during the year 2017-2018.

Appended to the report was a summary of work undertaken by the Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team over the past year and included an overview of the Keighley Area crime figures for November 2017 and provided a comparison with the same period in the previous year.

Inspector Khalid Khan addressed the meeting and presented his second area committee report on behalf of the Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team.  His report explained the new Neighbourhood Policing Structure which had been in place since March 2018.  His presentation included the consultation process undertaken with communities to understand their concerns and to put in measures to address those concerns.  It was explained that this was in the form of street surgeries; Ward Officer Team meetings; Parish Council and community meetings.   Key issues which had arisen from that communication were reported and included bad driving; anti-social behaviour and drug related issues. 

Members were informed that the Neighbourhood  Policing Team had obtained funding, which had been match funded by Keighley Town Council to implement Operation Steerside which had resulted in a total of 369 driving prosecutions over a three month period.

Document “T” reported that specific attention had been paid to key anti-social hotspots.  Major issues had come to rise as a result of the hot summer weather in Ilkley and issues to address those, together with initiatives undertaken at Holden Park and Worth Valley Railway were reported.

Drug related crime was discussed and the success of Operation Saucerlake to target and disrupt those involved in the supply and production of drugs were detailed.

Work to target members of organised crime groups involved in all form of criminality was reported and subsequent arrests and sentencing were discussed.

Members were assured that reducing burglary dwellings was one of the key priorities of the Neighbourhood Policing Team and although there had been an increase in the overall number of recorded residential burglaries there were a number of reasons for that rise including changes in the recording process.  Incidents of travelling burglaries targeting the area were reported and particular incidents occurring in affluent areas were being addressed.

Assurances were provided that visibility was a key element of the daily work of the team and formed a core role of engagement strategy.  Attendance at key events in addition to ensuring Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) were present outside local schools and allowing direct interaction with parents, teachers and children was a priority. Early intervention was a key tool to divert youths from crime and the influence of negative role models and organised crime.  Work was on going with primary schools running the citizenship programmes within identified schools.

Details of the Police Cadet Scheme were discussed and Members were advised of a two year scheme with 21 cadets in the Keighley area.  The cadets met once a week at Keighley College and the scheme provided further volunteering opportunities for young people aged between 14-18 years old.

Following a very detailed account of the work being undertaken by the Neighbourhood Policing Team in the Keighley area a number of issues were raised to which the following responses were provided:-

·         Taxi enforcement was a Council not police role but the police did work in partnership with council officers.

·         Regular intelligence did suggest that enticements to crime were becoming more sophisticated.  Evidence was required to enable prosecutions to progress and technical problems could arise with the collection of that evidence.

·         It was acknowledged  that there was some dissatisfaction with the police recorded in surveys.  It was felt that this was because that satisfaction was influenced by other sources. A lot of misinformation was circulated on social media, however, the police did publicise success stories on their own social media to assure residents that they did focus on what local people had identified as concerns.

·         Police colleagues were working with a number of hydroponic gardeners (the cultivation of plants in a nutrient liquid with or without gravel or another supporting medium) to address concerns about cannabis production.  Cannabis farms were linked to organised crime groups.

·         There were a number of ‘special constables’ recruited in the Keighley area.  They were allocated to specific neighbourhood teams for a designated number of hours per week and, due to the investment made in their recruitment they were asked to commit for a period of two years.  Those constables provided a wealth of experience and support. 

·         Vehicles seized under Operation Steerside were rarely destroyed.  The cars would go to a recovery garage and owners would then have to rectify the issue for which the vehicle was seized; prove that the vehicle was insured and pay for storage and recovering before the vehicle was released. 

·         There had been a reduction in the number of stolen bikes in the area from the previous year.

·         Studies revealed that the use of cannabis led to the use of other drugs.  Evidence was required to obtain a prosecution and unfortunately, when cannabis was smoked, the evidence was destroyed.

·         The percentage of recovered stolen goods was low.  This was because Items such as cash or jewellery were easily disposed of.  Cars often were sent to ‘chop shops’ where their parts were used for other vehicles.

A Member referred to particular issues encountered with parking in the Craven ward and questioned if those were a police or parking enforcement issue.  She reported residents’ frustrations with a lack of action around the congestion which was being caused.  In response it was explained that police resources were stretched, however, if details of prolific problems were passed to the police or the Council’s Ward Officers a focus could be provided on those issues. 

The use of Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBO) was questioned and it was confirmed that if a person failed to comply with the restrictions of a CBO they could be arrested and charged. 

Resolved –

(1)  That the work undertaken by the Keighley Neighbourhood Policing Team during the year 2017-2018, that contributed to addressing Community Safety priorities within the Ward Plans for the Keighley area, be noted.

(2)  That the positive partnership working to address crime and community safety between the Police, elected Members, Parish and  Town Councils, Bradford Council officers, community organisations, volunteers and residents within the Keighley area be noted.

NO ACTION

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)