Local Initiatives
Beat Surgeries
Local beat officers and PCSO's hold regular beat surgeries in their beat areas. This is an opportunity for local residents to come along and talk to a representative of the local police in confidence about any issue/concern they may have. It is also a chance for residents to ask any questions or gain information relating to a specific field such as crime prevention initiatives and local partnership involvement. Further details of dates/locations for local beat surgeries are available from the Newton Aycliffe, Shildon and Sedgefield offices or by calling 0345 6060365 and asking for an officer in your beat area.
StreetSafe Action Weeks
The StreetSafe Action Weeks are held at various times throughout the year in response to identified community needs. These events involve various local partnerships working together in a multi-agency approach to improve the community, reduce crime and promote social wellbeing. The partnerships including Sedgefield Borough Council, Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue, Durham Constabulary, youth engagement service, local schools, Age Concern and others working together to perform various tasks to improve the community. This can include additional refuge collections, school safety awareness talks, community walkabouts with local councillors and interested members of the public (to help identify the issues), litter enforcement and joint high visibility patrols. The intention of the StreetSafe operation is to promote community reassurance and improve the quality of life in the local area.
Acceptable Behaviour Contracts
Contracts are formulated in association with Sedgefield Borough Councils Anti Social Behaviour Unit and are used in dealing with anti social behaviour. The contracts can be issued to a person of any age who has been involved in anti social behaviour and sets out terms of acceptable behaviour in respect of their future conduct. These have been successfully employed within the borough for some time now.
Anti-Social Behaviour Panel
This is a partnership group consisting of various agencies including your local Police, Sedgefield Borough Council, youth engagement service, education board and probation service. The group was established to identify better working practices and procedures in respect of anti social behaviour. The panel identifies those that are responsible for repeated acts of anti social behaviour and constructs a plan to tackle this behaviour by early and structured intervention. There are currently various anti social behaviour orders and acceptable behaviour contracts that have been issued in the force area in connection with the anti social behaviour panel. The intelligent use of orders like that of the contracts is an effective tool in tackling poor behaviour.
Mobile CCTV Unit
The crime and disorder reduction partnership has provided this vehicle for the use of both police and council wardens to assist in identifying hotspot areas of crime and anti social behaviour and assist in preventing further instances.
Pubwatch
Pubwatch has been formulated in Newton Aycliffe, Shildon and Sedgefield for a number of years. Regular Pubwatch meetings are held and as a result various persons have either received warnings about their conduct or have been excluded from participating licence premises. Newton Aycliffe also has an off-licence watch scheme, both to assist the premises in retail crime prevention and to prevent underage sales.
Police Community Support Officers
The number of PCSOs has risen considerably over the last 12 months (from three to nine in our area). These officers form an integral and valuable part of the neighbourhood policing teams. The roles of the PCSOs are to provide high visibility presence within our communities and have proven to be a great asset to our neighbourhood policing teams. Although the officers have limited powers, their presence, observations and assistance has resulted in a number of serious offenders being put behind bars.
