safety partnership
Further Action groups
Audits
Another part of the Safety partnership scheme is carrying out annual audit's that focus on particular crime hotspots. The first audit in 2001 allowed them to see which areas, times and days that were particularly prone to crime, and also what types of crime. Since then year on year the scheme has looked at ways of improving this, and the success of these strategies is shown in the following year's audit.
Local Pubs and Shops
The pub and shop watch has probably been one of the most successful schemes within the partnership, radio links have been introduced so that amongst the local pubs and shops they can all let each other know of any groups or individuals that are causing trouble.
As well as this it has meant clubs and off-licences have become stricter on asking for ID of age. The scheme is also looking to include taxi firms and all off-licences and supermarkets in the area into the strategy.
Bogus calls
A lot of people will have been tricked by a bogus call in the past which is used as a way of distracting people so that a crime can be committed. The Shropshire Bogus Callers Taskforce aim is to stop this from happening, and especially taking care of the elderly as these seem to be the most targeted group for these calls. The strategy was first enforced in 2002 after a number of police forces had a seminar into the working of criminal groups, it was highlighted that the criminal groups look out for the most vulnerable people who are likely to keep a lot of money at home, e.g. the elderly.
The scheme started by giving the most vulnerable members of the community each a package containing; a door chain and a door mirror and viewer, all of which were fitted and the feedback was of 100% satisfaction. After the initial small scale test drive of the scheme was such a success, the partnership got enough funding to fit further homes of the vulnerable with the same package.
Another way some groups work is by cornering an elderly person as trade men' and forcing them to go into a bank and draw out a lot of money. In order to alert banks of this a DVD was sent out to banks and building societies around the country of a role play of this happening, on the DVD it told them what to look out for and what they should do if they are confronted with this situation.
The scheme is also trying to partner up with the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service to try and get fire prevention equipment into houses as part of their community fire prevention scheme that is already in process.