Copyright © 2010, ‘Our Exeter’, all rights reserved.
Community Crime Fighter
Ye Gods!
I’d better contact my
Community Crime
Fighter for Advice.
A great concept, funded by the taxpayer, that is impossible to implement without satisfactory support of the Police and other local official organisations. Support so far? Zero.
In spite of this, one of our community reps would like to express their gratitude to the taxpaying public for the informative, but so far pointless, all expenses paid ‘jollies’ to Manchester, Plymouth, and Taunton, plus other ‘gatherings’ closer to home.
More to come.......
But meanwhile, a letter to an ‘Our Exeter’ team member from one of our ‘sponsors’, James Brokenshire, the new Crime Minister, at the Home Office. ‘Our Exeter’ look forward to the opportunity of discussing a wide range of issues with James Brokenshire and Baroness Newlove and the level of local support, or absence of it, as appropriate. ‘Our Exeter’ will be contacting James Brokenshire and Baroness Newlove to enlighten them re our community’s experiences and their responses will be published here.
Home Office
2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF
Dear Mr xxxx
This government is committed to encouraging people to take an active role in making their communities safer. People who are willing to take a stand on the issues that matter locally are a vital part of building a Big Society.
I have heard about the Community Crime Fighter training you attended, and as Minister responsible for crime prevention I wanted to thank you for your hard work and for taking joint responsibility to improve your local areas. As part of supporting active people like you to make a real difference, I am also delighted to inform you that Baroness Newlove has been appointed as Champion for Active, Safer Communities^
Active communities should have a powerful voice which enables them to express their views about local concerns, let the police and others know what is working well in their areas, and deliver their own solutions to local problems. Baroness Newlove will work to identify and promote what needs to happen at a local level in order to make the voice of communities heard. She will champion the good work that is already happening and find out how services can devolve more power to the public. She will also get out and about across the country to understand first hand the experiences of active communities, and individuals like you. A priority for Baroness Newlove will be to set out more detail about what her work will involve, and we will communicate it to you shortly.
As a Government, we are also very supportive of Neighbourhood Watch schemes. I know many of you are already part of local neighbourhood or home watch schemes, or other local groups, and I would encourage any of you who are not already part of one to help set one up in your community.
Yours sincerely,
James Brokenshire
A certain irony in James Brokenshire’s comments re Neighbourhood Watch in view of one of our team’s experiences outlined here
The Casey Review ‘Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime’ published in June 2008, recognised that crime is tackled most effectively when local people work together with the police and local council.
The Community Crime Fighter Programme (now ended) aims to develop stronger links between crime fighting agencies and the communities they serve. It began in December 2008 and to date over 1400 local activists have taken part in the training programme. The Community Crime Fighter training provides an opportunity to learn:
The tools and powers Local Authorities could and should be using to tackle anti social behaviour and crime.
The help provided to victims and witnesses of crime and anti social behaviour.
Ways to hold local agencies to account.
The training will give you the knowledge, skills and confidence to act as advocates for your community in relation to the police and criminal justice agencies.
The second phase of the training took place in Central London and seven cities across England and Wales.
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Coming Soon - Community Crime Fighter Abuses Position