We are determined to make the UK the safest place to live, work, and raise a family. Over the last week, (10th-16th March 2023), we’ve seen some great examples of work underway to make our streets safer – from Barking to Peterborough, and Preston to Nottingham.
Stop and Search
Despite what critics claim, stop and search is a vital tool that keeps people safe and tackles crime – and the criminals behind it. This week we saw police officers from the Barking Town Centre Team stop and search a 16 year old boy, finding a large knife concealed in his waistband. It followed a proactive search operation underway at Barking Station. This is a concrete example of police officers using their powers to take a weapon off the streets, and undoubtedly making the streets safer for both the young person who was arrested and for everyone else too.
🥇 Our #StopAndSearch of the week is from #Barking in #London, where proactive policing took this dangerous weapon and the teenager carrying it off the streets – vital work to help make our neighbourhoods safer. https://t.co/9qJ8jhN2uw
— The Public Safety Foundation (@PublicSafetyFdn) March 15, 2023
Traffic Stops and Roads Policing
Cannabis is a dangerous drug and one that impairs driving – as well as employment and educational outcomes. This week saw a great piece of teamwork, after an off-duty police officer in Preston spotted a driver smoking cannabis. Traffic cops responded, got the vehicle stopped and conducted a roadside drugs test – which the driver failed. The eagle-eyed officers also recovered cannabis from the vehicle. Vital that those who put lives at risk by drinking or using drugs face consequences before they cause serious injury or death.
🚔 Our #TrafficStopOfTheWeek is from #Preston in Lancashire, where an off-duty officer spotted a driver smoking cannabis. Great to see the driver taken off the road, undoubtedly making our streets safer. https://t.co/wVOYVtsYC6
— The Public Safety Foundation (@PublicSafetyFdn) March 14, 2023
Warrants and Raids
Search premises is a vital component of the police work we need to ensure the safety of our streets and country. This example from Nottingham proves the point, with four men convicted of a number of offences after drugs and guns were found when police raided an address in the city, back in 2021. Drug supply is inherently linked to violence, and so it is little wonder that drugs and guns were found in close proximity. Excellent work by police in Nottinghamshire, putting dangerous criminals behind bars, where they belong. With the right attitude, and in a well-run prison, they might just use the opportunity to turn their backs on crime.
🏠 Our #WarrantOfTheWeek goes to police in #Nottingham who raided an address back in 2021, recovering drugs and guns – resulting in four men receiving 36 years of prison time last week. Great work! https://t.co/Wa7wI3kNLY
— The Public Safety Foundation (@PublicSafetyFdn) March 13, 2023
Cleaner Streets are Safer Streets
The Foundation believes that cleaner streets are safer streets – and this week we had a great example from Peterborough of criminals serving community sentences being required to clean up, tidy up, and spruce up part of the town. Community Payback like this should always seek to make a positive and visible difference to the local area – whether that’s removing graffiti, clearing litter, removing fly-tipping, or, as in this case, giving the streets a fresh lick of paint.
🚧 Our #PaybackOfTheWeek goes to probation and partners in #Peterborough, cleaning up public spaces to make them look better and feel safer. Community Payback is best when it improves public spaces. We know that cleaner streets are safer streets. #CP50 https://t.co/WQHEUc9DjP
— The Public Safety Foundation (@PublicSafetyFdn) March 10, 2023
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