High Wycombe Updates - Neighbourhood Policing Priorities - ASB and Speeding

You said: You are concerned about ASB! 

Shoplifting is not only a form of anti-social behaviour in itself but also increases overall anti-social behaviour in any area.  The prolific repeat shoplifters can especially have a deeply negative impact and increase overall criminality in an area.  Shoplifters can put shop staff in a position where they are fearing for their safety and having to explain loss of stock.  The build-up of repeat shoplifting is highly detrimental to our local business community.  A number of operations and initiatives have been adopted by the neighbourhood department to combat it.  The Wycombe South Team were runners up in the prestigious Laycock Awards, named in the honour of Professor Gloria Laycock OBE. This recognises the best examples of problem solving policing which is essential for dealing with Anti-social behaviour. Operation Hatchet had a clear aim to reduce public order, assault, shoplifting offences & community antisocial behaviour in the High Wycombe town centre. Through extensive partnership working and ongoing patrols, the team achieved: shoplifting charges increased by 169% compared to the previous year, over 150 intelligence submissions, more than 113 engagements with local businesses in addition to multiple arrests, cautions and stop searches.  

This June, we utilised our policing powers to remove individuals from The Rye who had parked 6 caravans and cars on the fields. Thank you to members of the public who took the time to tell us about the anti-social behaviour and the anti-social driving, these reports helped us establish that there was a significant community impact and therefore assisted us in meeting the requirements to enforce the legislation available to us. 

The off road Police Motorcycle team visited us to help us combat individuals riding off road motorbikes with no helmets, an issue that can be difficult to combat with standard police units due to risks to the public and the rider.   We will look to prosecute offenders and seize bikes used in an anti-social manner.   

A large number of patrols have been in place in Castlefield following a number of violent public order offences, with officers from all over the county coming to assist us and provide more boots on the ground.   An affray on Spearing Road resulted in 3 people being arrested and we were able to achieve a closure order on the house the suspects live in to prevent further anti-social behaviour.  This has been greatly supported by the local community. In addition, two people have been arrested for criminal damage on Rutland Avenue and are currently on bail pending a charging decision. 

Recently, neighbourhood and response officers attended a disorder where two groups have had a confrontation and weapons have been drawn.   Five arrests were made by neighbourhood officers and the case has been transferred to our investigative team.  

We have been busily working on another disorder on Roberts Road, which led to around 100 people getting involved following an accident involving a child being run over. Multiple people subsequently attacked the driver. Thankfully the child was okay.  Such a large scale incident has had a significant impact on the community with 6 people being arrested so far, a number of voluntary interviews having taken place and ongoing work to identify outstanding suspects. 

We have been working with local stakeholders in finding solutions to tackle crime in Castlefield.  Part of this solution will be a firm police response in prosecuting anyone who is involved in such matters.  A great deal of the community and other agencies have responded positively and are assisting with ideas to improve the area.  This has included the council’s recent review and implementation of the road plan, additional CCTV and longer term schemes with the community and schools.   

The neighbourhood team have also worked with partner agencies to carry out a week of action surrounding knife crime.  Throughout Castlefield, Highcrest School and around the Rye the teams along with council community safety officers carried out knife sweeps to check for secreted weapons.  They also hosted 2 police pop up stands to liaise with youths on their way home from school and educate them about the risks of knife crime. 

To target anti-social behaviour issues around driving, we have arranged a number of joint working operations with the DVLA.  A day of action in Castlefield and Downley resulted in: 4 vehicles being recovered, 21 cars being clamped and 15 vehicles being given tax warnings. 

You said: Speeding is a concern 

We did:  Operation Glare is our speeding enforcement operation that focuses on obtaining data to evidence the need for road improvements and speed reduction measures, which we can then present to the relevant agencies such as the Council.  This quarter we have focused on Hicks Farm Rise, Totteridge Road, Hatters Lane, Arnison Ave, Cock Lane, Rutland Ave, The Pastures, Chairborough Road, Dashwood Ave, Coates Lane, Hithercroft Rd, Littleworth Rd, Hughenden Ave, Lane End Rd, Pheasant Dr, Mill End Rd, Cressex Rd, Bookerhill Rd and Havenfield Rd. 

To address the problem of speeding we need members of the public to step up.  Whether that is challenging friends or family if they are speeding or starting/joining a community speedwatch scheme.  For more information please visit:  https://www.communityspeedwatch.org or Community Speedwatch - Thames Valley PCC   In May, we saw over 1000 volunteers carried take part in this resulting in over 4000 vehicle records being submitted. We understand Councillor Hewitt is looking at getting a new group set up in the area of Downley.  Based on data, community speed watch has a 96.04% success rate of preventing speeders reoffending, meaning drivers who are detected to be speeding and are sent a 1st warning letter are not detected to be speeding again within a 12 month period.