For the latest Rutland Road Safety Newsletter, please view the file at the bottom of this page. The newsletter also includes Top 10 Road Safety Tips to assist you with a safe and pleasant journey.

See below for the attached update from Inspector Monks regarding policing and crime for August 2009 in Rutland

The Safer Rutland Partnership is joining forces with a number of other community groups in order to spread the word about ‘Involved’, a new event organised with the help of young people and aimed at young people.

Young people aged between 11 and 18 years and of all abilities who live, go to school or work in Rutland are being encouraged to get ‘Involved’ with this lively event. Full of fun activities and workshops, there will be no better way for young people to spend a Saturday in Rutland.

Involved will kick off on 23 May on Cutts Close in Oakham from 2pm until 8 pm. Food and drink will be available on the day as well as workshops from local clubs, free running, graffiti workshops, street dance, DJ workshops, bungee running, wreck ball and much more. The day will finish with the Rock School providing live music and entertainment. Everything will be free if you wear a white wristband on the day. Wristbands will be distributed to schools, colleges and youth clubs or on the day if young people bring proof that they are 11 to 18 and live, go to school or work in Rutland.

It is hoped that the day will create opportunities which motivate young people to recognise and achieve their potential whether through sports, dance or chatting to people about further education or career options. The day will also provide information to encourage young people to participate in positive activities within their community to reduce the likelihood of their involvement in crime and anti social behaviour by allowing young people to access activities they want to do.

Advice for young people deciding whether to leave school or continue their education will also be available. This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to get involved, have fun and get to know what is going on for them in their area. For more information young people are encouraged to contact Rutland County Council on 01572 722 577 or email communitysafety@rutland.gov.uk

A new website has just been launched www.askthe.police.uk . The website is a database full of answers to a wide selection of nationally asked questions such as what is a police caution? Is there a legal age for a babysitter? And can I get banned for speeding?

The Police National Legal Database (PNLD) is managed by the Association of Chief Police Officers but is under the day to day control of West Yorkshire Police. It is a non profit-making organisation with the intention of reducing the number of non-emergency calls to police forces by providing the answers direct to the public via the internet.

The new Policing Peldge from the Leicestershire Police Authority can now be found under files on this page.

Although nationally burglaries are increasing, there is good news for Rutland, which has seen a decrease in burglary compared to last years figures.

The Community Safety Partnership would like to thank residents for helping to significantly reduce burglaries by acting upon advice issued, however around a quarter of burglaries still take place in insecure properties.

The current figures for April 2008 to January 2009 show that burglaries are down by a quarter (24%) compared to last years figures.

Chair of the Community Safety Partnership, Councillor Barrie Roper said: 'This is great news for Rutland and it is clear that the message to secure properties is starting to get through. However, I would urge everyone to think about the security of their home and act on the advice provided by the Partnership. Together we have managed to reduce burglaries in the County by a significant amount, I am sure that this figure can improve further and look forward to working with the community and our partners to ensure that this happens.'


Inspector Johnny Monks, Commander of Rutland Local Policing Unit, said; ‘It is wonderful to see a 24% reduction in burglaries across Rutland and know that we are bucking the national trend. I hope we can reduce that figure even further by targeting known offenders and encouraging people to make their property as secure as possible to deter the opportunist thief who will take advantage of an open window or door.’

Further tips and advice can be found at the 3 minute check list on the Home Office website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/secureyourhome or locally on this website.

If residents want further advice, please contact the Community Safety Partnership on 01572 722 577 or email communitysafety@rutland.gov.uk

The police in the North of Leicestershire are running a campaign this Christmas to give victims of domestic abuse the fullest support at a time when incidents increase.

Local crime analysis shows that domestic abuse increases by as much as 70% during the Christmas period. Last year, between the 1st December 2007 and the 14 January 2008 there were 511 reports of domestic incidents (154 of them involving violence) with a peak on New Year’s Day of 23 incidents compared to an average of 12 per day.

In response to the seasonal increase in offences, the police are running a campaign to target known offenders and offer support to the most vulnerable men and women. They will be working with other agencies such as Women’s Aid, local Solicitors and Housing Advisors to offer women a full package of support. A similar campaign last Christmas saw a 15% reduction in the number of repeat offences.

They campaign will run across the whole of the north area which covers Loughborough, Charnwood, North West Leicestershire, Melton and Rutland.

A number of police officers have been given specialist training on each of the five local policing units and will used as domestic abuse champions for the duration of the campaign. Their primary role will be to offer support and advice and gather the best possible evidence at the time of the incident. Each case will then be immediately referred to a team of specialist Domestic Abuse Investigation Officers (DAIOs) who will work seven days a week during the campaign period. Their role will be to take detailed statements and talk through the range of options available to the victim. It’s hoped the combined work of the officers will lead to the strongest case being presented to the Crown Prosecution Service which in turn will lead to more convictions. DAIOs will also be based at the new Special Domestic Violence Court in Loughborough every Friday to assist Solicitors presenting evidence to the Magistrates.

Inspector Mark Cuddihy from the North Area Community Safety Bureau said; “We take the issue of domestic abuse very seriously and have secured funding from each of the four Community Safety Partnerships on the North to run this campaign across all five policing areas. Sadly Christmas is not a happy time for everybody. With the children off school, partners on holiday and an increase in alcohol consumption pressures can build and lead to unacceptably violent or abusive behaviour.

“Many women suffer in silence because they are too frightened to pursue a court case and concerned about where they will live and what will happen to them or their children. We can offer them all the help and support they need to end the abuse.”

Visits will be made to repeat offenders to ensure they are sticking to any court orders such as curfews or injunctions as well as any bail or ASBO conditions they may have.

From January 6th 2009, a new service of drop in clinics will be run in Loughborough and Coalville. They will be held discreetly in public buildings in the town to enable women who are out shopping to pop in without fear of being discovered by their abusive partner. Victims can call 0782 7623543 to find out when and where they are being held.

Rosemary from Women’s Aid in Rutland said “We know from experience that a lot of people look forward to a happy family Christmas and are bitterly disappointed when that doesn’t happen. It is often the start of a New Year which prompts people to face up to the reality of the situation they are in and we can give those people the help and support they need to make longer term decisions about their future.

“The drop-in clinics will be a really great way of reaching as many people as possible. Women’s Aid, out-reach and refuge workers will be there to explain what support is available locally, it’s not always about leaving home and going into a refuge there are other support options available that many people do not know about.

“Solicitors, Housing Advisors and DAIOs will also be there to give the best possible advice to people to help them end the cycle of abuse.”

If you would like to talk to a Domestic Abuse Investigation Officer you can call Leicester (0116) 222 2222 ext 4174 or in an emergency situation call 999.

If you live in Rutland you can contact Women’s Aid on 0116 242 6440 and you will be referred to an outreach worker in Rutland.

The Rutland Community Safety Partnership are marking Domestic Violence awareness week with a hard hitting message that ‘Alcohol is no excuse for domestic abuse!’ during the festive season and beyond. A staggering 28% of all domestic violence offences in Rutland were committed when the offender is under the influence of alcohol. This is 4% below the national average.

Fact: 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Everyone has the right to live free from fear and harm.

Fact: Domestic violence has more repeat victims than any other crime – there will be an average of 35 assaults before a victim calls the police.

In the UK people like a drink over Christmas and levels of alcohol intake increase by 41% during the festivities. Studies have shown that the likelihood and severity of domestic violence increases with higher levels of alcohol.

Through this campaign, the Community Safety Partnership are building awareness of the link between the social behaviour of drinking and how quickly it can lead to violence in the streets and at home. Know your limits, drink sensibly and keep your family safe from harm. Do not become a statistic over Christmas. The Partnership urges offenders to consider their behaviour and stop using alcohol as an excuse for physically and verbally threatening behaviour.

From another point of view, many victims turn to alcohol as a coping mechanism and to relieve the stress of waiting for the next attack.

Help is at hand if you want information on what is a safe level of alcohol and hints on how to cut down. If you are a victim of domestic violence and see no way out, there are many organisations and help lines that are anonymous and free to use.

Posters will be displayed in the coming weeks with information on accessing help. There is also a domestic violence leaflet available from the Community Safety Team 01572 722 577 or email communitysafety@rutland.gov.uk The leaflet can also be downloaded from our website.

The Community Safety Partnership would like to make the local community aware of a number of cold callers from utility companies that are operating in our area. Some seem to be using forceful means of persuading people to change their supply. The community safety team would like to re-iterate that these callers should adhere to the Energy Sure code of conduct that many companies have and that you should not be afraid to say no. If you have experienced cold calling and need help, the team can be contacted.

There exists a National Cold Calling Protocol that most utility companies are signed up to. This ensures that all their callers should inform the householder of the appointment beforehand whenever possible, have an I.D. card with Braille and large print versions available and explain the purpose of their visit.

If you experience a stranger knocking at your door check their I.D. before you let them in. If you are still in any doubt ring the organisation to check. If they are being aggressive and try to force their way in, say no and call for help whether that is a neighbour, friend or if no-one is around then call the police on 0116 222 2222. If you are in danger then call 999. If you do sign up to anything to make the caller leave you alone, do not hesitate to call the company in question and cancel the contract. Most companies have a cooling off period before they switch.

Furthermore, many utility companies offer a password scheme which is free to join and will protect you from bogus callers. You chose a password which the caller must quote to you when they knock on your door.

Richard Hammond from Consumer Focus was on Watchdog on the BBC. His advice is as follows;

• Offers are rarely for ‘today only’ so if a salesman tries to convince you otherwise be careful.
• You have 7 days to cancel a contract. The salesman should make you aware of this.
• Under the Energy Sure code of conduct, if you ask a salesman to leave they must do so and end the discussion.
• If you tell the salesman it is inconvenient, unwelcome or inappropriate they are required by the same code of conduct to leave.

If anyone is aware of people operating in your area or if you need help with dealing with anything you have signed up to in order to get the caller to leave you alone, get in touch with the community safety team on 01572 722 577 or email communitysafety@rutland.gov.uk
No cold calling stickers can be purchased (for a small fee to cover the costs) from customer services at Rutland County Council. And remember, it takes minutes to check an I.D. but years to get over the trauma of a crime.

The Rutland Community Safety Partnership in conjunction with the Police marked the Not in My Neighbourhood Week with displays on Community Safety in all our Rutland libraries.

The displays highlighted the work we are doing to make our community safer, hints and tips on personal safety and what we have achieved so far this year.

During the week itself, the beat van visited Oakham and Uppingham market squares to give local community members the chance to ask questions on anything related to crime and anti social behaviour and to raise any concerns they may have.

The objective of the week was to inform people of the actions the Partnership has taken to address crime and anti social behaviour in order to increase public confidence that we are working behind the scenes as well as on the streets and to encourage the local community to play their part. The Partnership can not do anything about crime if we do not know what is happening.

Hopefully, the activities we ran have reassured Rutlanders that the Partnership is working together to make Rutland a safe place to live, work and play.

Rutland Community Safety Partnership are launching a campaign this Halloween and Bonfire Night to help keep the community safe. The Partnership is encouraging everyone to help make Halloween as trouble free as possible.

Halloween has long since been associated with parties and family fun but for some people who have not chosen to join in the celebrations and games, it can be a night to remember, but for all the wrong reasons.

The key message is to HAVE FUN, BUT STAY SAFE. The Partnership along with the Rutland Youth Service and Leicestershire Police will be giving information to young people about how to stay safe and act responsibly during the festive period. The safety of trick or treaters is something that is not often highlighted. BE SAFE and BE SEEN. By following these few simple messages both parents and trick or treaters will remain safe:

• Agree with parents where you can go and where you will go
• Set a time for your return
• Be safe and be seen. Do not dress in just dark clothing but make sure you can be visible by other people and more importantly by vehicle drivers
• Never go into a strangers house, even if you are invited
• Respect a house that displays ‘No trick or treat’ signs
• Do not trick strangers. How would you feel if it was your parents or grandparents that were tricked and they were frightened and felt in danger?

Special posters, asking trick or treaters not to knock on their door have been given out to residents who do not want to be disturbed during Halloween. The A4 size posters ask those taking part in Halloween night not to knock on the door with the message ‘Trick or Treaters, No Thanks!'. The posters are available from Oakham Police Station or can be downloaded from the website at www.leics.police.uk and click on the Halloween icon. The elderly and vulnerable people can be easily intimidated by youngsters calling. It may be fun for you, but think how your grandparents would feel if they were tricked by young people they do not know.

If you are experiencing anti-social behaviour during this period, do not answer your door. Ask the trick or treaters to go away. If they do not go away, then do not hesitate to contact your local police station on 0116 222 2222. If it is urgent and you feel you are in danger, then call 999.

During the weekend of 31 October-1 November three partnership teams, including youth workers, the police and the community safety team will be speaking to young people in Oakham, Uppingham and the surrounding villages regarding anti social behaviour and underage drinking.

They will be giving out ‘Respect Rutland’ bags containing information on health and safety and laws relating to alcohol, information about anti social behaviour and sweets for Halloween.

Names of those caught underage drinking or committing anti social behaviour will be taken and their parents will be informed.

Schools have been sent information by Leicestershire Police to read out in assemblies to inform pupils about the consequences and dangers associated with anti social behaviour and underage drinking.

It is hoped that the campaign will help to reduce incidents of anti social behaviour and underage drinking, by informing young people of the consequences of their actions and offering guidance, help and support.

To report any incidents of anti-social behaviour call Leicestershire Constabulary on (0116) 222 2222.

Is there an eyesore in your area that you would like to see cleaned up? Maybe there is a church hall or community venue in need or decorating? Maybe you are a member of a charity in need of volunteers? If so the Community Payback scheme may be able to help.

The National Probation Service, a co-opting agency of the Rutland Community Safety Partnership, has launched ‘Community Payback’ whereby communities have the opportunity to influence the type of work offenders carry out in their neighbourhoods. The aim is to make the unpaid work offenders perform more representative of the community’s needs.

Unpaid work is 1 of 12 requirements in the Community Order introduced by the Criminal Justice Act 2003 and has previously been known as Community Service. The difference is that communities now have a direct say in the work they perform. Public protection is at the heart of the National Probation Service and the safety of the community will not be jeopardised. On the contrary Rutland can only benefit from the enhancement of our community facilities.

Projects undertaken by Community Payback involve activities that would not normally be carried out and can benefit local schools, faith groups, churches, charities and community organisations and partnerships. These projects range from graffiti removal, street clean-ups, ground clearance, recycling projects, building maintenance and landscaping, improvements to parks and community facilities, environmental preservation and general gardening projects, painting and decorating of community centres and meeting places and the making and repairing of goods for sale in charity shops.

Projects in the Leicestershire and Rutland area have included providing new facilities for a disabled club for Asian gardeners, constructed an allotment site for the Gurunanak disabled gardners’ group and creating a sensory garden in Leicester’s Knighton Park.

There are rules that govern the acceptance of nominated projects by the community. Community Payback schemes can only accept work that would normally be undertaken by voluntary labour, therefore jobs can not be accepted that take work away from commercial businesses. The work must provide a service to the community. Toilet access must be provided, as well as water and electricity where applicable.

If you would like to nominate a project under the Community Payback scheme please telephone The Community Safety Team on 01572 722 577 or email communitysafety@rutland.gov.uk

The Rutland Community Safety Partnership would like to thank the local community for coming along and supporting the Face the People sessions. The aim was to meet the public and get to know local views and concerns. Four sessions were held in Uppingham, Cottesmore, Oakham and Ketton and were well attended and the issues and concerns raised will help the Community Safety Partnership develop its priorities for 2009/10.

The Rutland Community Safety Partnership has been in existence since 1998. Since then, it has been working hard to ensure that crime and disorder remain low and where there are community safety issues, that they are tackled effectively. Not only does the Partnership work together with other local agencies, but they work closely with members of the public and community groups to ensure that Rutland is a safe place to live and work.

The main concerns during the Face the people sessions ranged from police resourcing, alcohol and the effects on crime and road safety all of which are priorities for the Partnership.

The recent achievements of the Community Safety Partnership include:

• A dedicated Anti-Social Behaviour Officer working closely with the police to tackle all anti-social behaviour issues.
• A 14% reduction in total crime (target 12%) between 2005 to 2008.
• Introduction of the Pass Plus Scheme to tackle road safety. This has had a significant impact on the reckless driving problem in Oakham.
• Oakham and Uppingham Designation Orders. 88 alcohol confiscations have taken place, helping to reduce anti-social behaviour in our towns relating to alcohol.
• Restorative Justice. This approach to anti-social behaviour began with work undertaken by young people caught drinking. Several sites were cleaned up by the young people in question and highlighted that they will be held responsible for their actions.
• A new patrol strategy for police officers so that no area is without patrol. Officers now have access to computers in their cars and so are able to spend more time within the community.

The local community were encouraged at how well the Community Safety Partnership worked will all agencies involved in ensuring the community’s safety and welcomed the open invitation to the Partnership’s Joint Action Group meetings that are held at Oakham Police Station every second Thursday at 10 a.m.. In particular, the police were thanked for the work in Cottesmore as the villagers now feel that a sense of community has been brought back to the village. Furthermore, highlighting Exton as a police microbeat has resolved the anti-social behaviour issues that were affecting the village.

If you have a view or concern about community safety and anti-social behaviour in your area, but were unable to attend the sessions, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01572 722 577 or email communitysafety@rutland.gov.uk

And remember –

We can’t do anything about your concerns if we don’t know about them.

SUMMER SAFETY TIPS FROM THE COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP

The summer holidays are now with us – sun baked days in the garden, barbeques on the patio and holidays spent relaxing. But wait a minute! Did I leave that window open? Has the BBQ been left unattended? Simple questions but if the answer is yes, leaving a window open could lead to your house being burgled and leaving a barbeque unattended could be catastrophic for any small child trying to pick at a sausage they have seen.

For this reason, the Rutland Community Safety Partnership would like to bring to your attention a few useful hints and tips on how to keep you and your house safe over the summer period.

Make sure all your windows and doors are secure. Shut your door if you are in the garden or popping round to the neighbours for a chat. You can not always be in line of sight of the door. Where possible fit locks and alarm systems. It has been proven that burglars are deterred away from houses with them. If you do like to keep your window open to smell that lovely summer air, why not fit limiters to them to reduce the distance they can be opened.

If you get a chance, mark your property with UV pens/ Smartwater; identifiable property is harder for criminals to sell on and dispose of.

Four out of five burglaries occur when a house is empty. Don’t advertise the fact that you are on holiday. Everyone needs a holiday and however much we like our homes, there is nothing like a change of scenery. But we all want to come home and find everything as we left it.

By following these few useful tips, you can help to make your home more secure while you are away. Read the tips here and plan ahead. Tick off the items before you go.

• Make your home look like someone is living in it. Don’t close your curtains in daytime as this shows the house is empty. Use automatic timer-switches to turn your lights on when it goes dark.
• Cancel any milk or newspaper deliveries.
• Avoid discussing holiday plans where strangers may hear details of your absence from home. Do not advertise the fact that you are off on holiday on internet websites.
• Cut the lawn before you go and trim back any plants that burglars could hide behind.
• Uncollected mail is a sign that you are away. The Royal Mail’s ‘Keepsafe’ service will keep your mail for up to two months while you are away.
• Consider leaving important documents and valuable items with other family members, a bank or in a safe.
• Do not put your home address on your luggage when you are travelling to your holiday destination.
• If you normally leave valuable pedal cycles or similar items in your shed, consider putting them in the house.
• Finally, make sure that you’ve locked all outside doors and windows and, if you have a burglar alarm, make sure it is set.
• Turn off and unplug any electrical equipment and where possible turn off gas and water supplies. Close all internal doors as this will slow the spread of a fire if one was to break out.

And just before you set off, it’s worth spending a couple of minutes checking that you’ve done all you had to do and taken everything you need with you. Don’t forget your passport and tickets!

Most of the tips above, apply to your home even if you are not on holiday. If you are at home and are planning a BBQ, here are a few safety tips to avoid any problems;

• Put the BBQ on a solid base and in a safe position away from children.
• Watch out for small children around the BBQ area.
• Make sure the food is cooked properly and kept away from flies and insects.
• Do not throw water over the BBQ to extinguish the flames. Extinguish the flames correctly as per the instruction manual and remember it remains hot for a long while!

Even though Rutland is one of the safest places in the UK to live, work and play and your local Community Safety Partnership has reduced crime levels by 14% over the last 3 years, following these simple tips will ensure you have a very happy summer. Have a great summer and remember keep safe!

If you would like more information about safety, please contact the Community Safety team at Rutland County Council on 01572 722 577 or email communitysafety@rutland.gov.uk.

Since the Alcohol Designation Order was introduced on 11th February in Oakham, alcohol seizures have remained a priority for the Police. A total of 43 adults and young people have been approached and alcohol confiscated since the order was introduced.

Under the new order, the Police can confiscate alcohol from people in public places in situations where the Police believe it may be a problem or it may cause a problem later on.

On the weekend of the 18/19th April, 40 cans of alcohol, a large bottle of wine and an alcopop were confiscated in various occasions.

During the weekend of the 9/ 10th May 26 cans were either poured away or confiscated.

The main hot spots where Police have found people in the possession of alcohol have been Cutts Close, Oakham Castle and the High Street, Oakham.

It is hoped that this will have a positive impact on the town in relation to anti social behaviour being linked to alcohol intake. Inspector Sarah Cox says 'Oakham Town Council and Rutland County Council gave us the power of the Designation Order to help reduce anti social behaviour in the town. It remains one of my priorities and as such we intend to continue patrols and increased patrols at the weekend.'