Sergeant Richard Stapleton:
South Wight Safer Neighbourhoods team covers Ventnor, Niton, Godshill, Chale, Chale Green, Bonchurch, St Lawrence, Wroxall and Whitwell
The team comprises:
- Sergeant Richard Stapleton
- PC Neil Payne
- PC Sue Gill
- PCSO Chris Urry
- PCSO Peter Downing
PC Neil Payne PC Sue Gill
PCSO Chris Urry PCSO Pete Downing
The South Wight Safer Neighbourhoods team works with Isle of Wight Council Environment and Neighbourhoods Officer (ENO) Rob Reed.
The policing pledge and your local priorities
Click here to read the national policing pledge, which sets out the service you can expect from your local police force.
Locally, we work with your community to find out what matters most where you live. We will work with you and our partner agencies to agree the main priorities for the area and how we will work together to tackle them.
The community's priorities for Ventnor town are: (Updated, August 18, 2009)
- Preventing and reducing anti-social behaviour near Market Street and Pound Lane
- Addressing a lack of parking in town. (This has been passed to Isle of Wight Council)
- A need for CCTV (This has been passed to Isle of Wight Council and Ventnor Town Council)
- Reducing and preventing dog fouling. (This has been passed to Isle of Wight Council)
For more information on Isle of Wight Council services, go to www.iwight.com
The community's priorities for Upper Ventnor are: (Updated, December 29, 2009)
- Reducing and preventing littering and dog fouling. (This has been passed to Isle of Wight Council, which has put new dog bins in place).
- Reduce and prevent traffic congestion in Downlands Crescent. (Work on a Traffic Regulation Order is in progress.)
- Solve problems with parking below Down Lane. (Work on a Traffic Regulation Order is in progress.)
For more information on Isle of Wight Council services, go to www.iwight.com
The community's priorities for Wroxall are: (Updated, June 18, 2009)
- Stopping speeding in the village
- Dealing with litter in the village. (This has been passed to Isle of Wight Council).
- Dealing with parking on pavements and footpaths (This has been passed to IW Council)
The community's priorities for Niton/Whitwell are: (Updated, May 1, 2009)
- Stopping speeding in and around both villages. (This priority will be addressed by Hampshire Constabulary's Isle of Wight Roads Policing Unit).
- Dealing with parking outside Norris family grocers (on yellow lines) including the area opposite the main entrance on the corner of Church Street at junction of Newport Road, Niton. (This priority is being passed to Isle of Wight Council)
- Dealing with a lack of parking in Niton village. (This priority is being passed to Isle of Wight Council).
The community's priorities for Godshill are: (Updated, July 24, 2009)
- Dealing with parking in School Crescent outside Godshill Primary School (This priority will be passed to Isle of Wight Council)
- Dealing with levels of traffic in the village (This priority will be passed to Isle of Wight Council)
- Stopping speeding through the village (The South Wight SNT will work the Isle of Wight Roads Policing Unit to deal with this priority).
For more information on Isle of Wight Council services, go to www.iwight.com
Visit this link for details of community meetings in the South Wight area
Police beat newsletters
Please click on the links below to read the latest newsletters from your local Safer Neighbourhoods team:
Chale Godshill Wroxall Niton and Whitwell beat newsletter January 2010.pdf
Ventnor beat newsletter January 2010.pdf
Action we have taken in relation to your priorities
Ventnor
You said....Prevent anti-social behaviour & prevent criminal damage to bus shelters
We did....There are extra patrols in areas where anti-social behaviour and criminal damage is reported. Section 27 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act gives officers the power to ban anyone over the age of 16 who is drunk and misbehaving from a specified area for up to 48 hours. If this person is seen in that area within the time specified then he or she will be arrested. This immediate, on-the-spot action is used effectively and has sent a powerful message that the police will not tolerate people hanging around late at night, intimidating law abiding residents. There were more than 80 fewer crimes in this area between April and December 2009 compared to the same period in 2007. A scheme where participating shops in Ventnor refuse to sell alcohol to anyone aged under 21 on Fridays and Saturdays from 6.00pm started in October 2009. Police are on duty in Ventnor to monitor the scheme. Feedback from licensees in Ventnor is positive. They have told officers the project is an extremely good idea, which makes checking ages easier.
You said....There is a need for CCTV
We did....We are working with Isle of Wight Council, which is responsible for this matter.
Wroxall, Chale, Niton, Whitwell, St. Lawrence
You said....Stop speeding motorists
We did....The South Wight team and Isle of Wight Roads Policing Unit conduct regular speed checks in Wroxall, Whitwell, Godshill and Niton in response to community concerns about careless and dangerous driving.
You said....Deal with parking problems
We did....We informed Isle of Wight Council, which is responsible for this matter.
You said....Deal with litter problems
We did....We informed Isle of Wight Council, which is responsible for this matter.
We conducted street mapping surveys to gauge public opinions. The results showed few people were bothered by anti-social behaviour. A shop in Wroxall introduced a policy of not selling alcohol to anybody under 25. ‘Gatekeeping’ meetings each month are attended by partner agencies and representatives from all schools in the area. ‘Gatekeeping’ aims to empower parents to take responsibility for their children and obtain support if necessary. This process cuts the lengthy time referrals can take and assists the person in dealing with issues they have. An improvement in behaviour can be seen. There were more than 40 fewer crimes in this area between April and December compared to the same period in 2008.
Justice Seen, Justice Done
Police charged two men after burglaries reported at the ‘Beach Hut Diner’ and ‘Ventnor Bay Café’ on the Esplanade, Ventnor, Isle of Wight in October 2009. Paul Philip Carter, aged 27, of Pound Lane, Ventnor, and Robert John Scott, aged 36, of West Street, Wroxall, were both charged with two counts of burglary.
The South Wight team charged Ben Guthrie Dinsdale from Whitwell with producing cannabis after a drugs warrant was executed at an address in Whitwell High Street in October 2009.
The South Wight team charged 42-year-old Jason Peter Seales from Ventnor with cultivating cannabis after a drugs warrant was executed at an address in Lowtherville Road in October 2009.
More action taken by the South Wight Safer Neighbourhoods team in 2009
Ventnor Central Car Park granted 'Park Mark' status
The South Wight Safer Neighbourhoods team is supporting community efforts to prevent anti-social behaviour and the opportunities to commit crime. Central Car Park in Ventnor has become the latest Isle of Wight Council facility to be awarded the prestigious Park Mark Award. The award, which is managed by the British Parking Association and supported by the Home Office, recognises the council’s commitment to reducing the fear of crime and criminal activity in the car park. (Source: Isle of Wight Council: go to www.iwight.com for more information)
The council’s parking services and community safety services worked with local police, under the umbrella of the Isle of Wight Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, to make improvements to the car park in order to create a safer environment for users. The facility was assessed by the police who checked to see that the area is properly managed, maintained and has appropriate levels of lighting, signage and cleanliness – all of which contribute to reducing the opportunity for crime.
Councillor Barry Abraham, Isle of Wight Council cabinet member responsible for community safety said: "The council is committed to reducing the fear of crime and crime levels on the Island and this initiative is just one example of how we are making a difference. "Our parking services and community safety teams have worked together to make worthwhile changes to Ventnor’s central car park which has resulted in a safer environment for those using the facility"
Sergeant Richard Stapleton of the South Wight Safer Neighbourhoods team (SNT) said: "We are keen to work alongside partner agencies to further reduce the risks of becoming a victim of crime. "Park Mark is another good example of how closer co-operation between the police and Council produces projects that can make people feel safer and more confident in their communities. "The amount of recorded crime in the whole Ventnor area is down by 10% since April this year. The Park Mark scheme will reinforce our efforts to maintain this trend."
Sergeant Richard Stapleton (second from the left) with those involved in the Park Mark project, November 2009.
Photo courtesy of Isle of Wight Council
The officers who make up the South Wight Safer Neighbourhoods team (SNT) are committed to improving the quality of life for our residents and for ensuring the area continues to be a safe place to live and work. My team’s objectives are to reduce crime and the fear of crime. We will try to identify emerging problems swiftly, and in partnership with other agencies, we will work hard to find solutions to reduce the impact of those problems.
PC Neil Payne and Sergeant Richard Stapleton
Street mapping and community engagement meetings
Officers on the South Wight SNT have been tasked to deal with the problems that the community decides are important. In order to do this we are constantly reviewing the best way of communicating with our residents so they can let us know what those priorities are. Street mapping, community engagement meetings and beat surgeries are some of the ways we can offer people the opportunity to talk to us. The community engagement meetings are advertised beforehand and invite residents to turn up and speak with officers and our partner agencies to decide on three priorities, which you want us to deal with. Those priorities will form the focus of our attention and if they are not something the police can deal with then we can ensure the right partner agency is made aware. At any subsequent meetings we can update you on progress. If you feel that problem has been dealt with effectively then we can decide on new priorities. The street mapping sessions have similar objectives but are mainly focused on a smaller area. Officers will deliver leaflets to homes in an area, asking for your views and ideas about policing priorities. The leaflets are collected at a later time when officers on this team analyse those ideas and decide on what the majority of the residents want us to deal with.
Operation Nemesis
All the members of the team are actively encouraging more residents to take simple steps to prevent and detect burglaries. As part of an Isle of Wight Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) initiative, the team has provided free property marking packs of Smart Water to Neighborhood Watch co-coordinators. Smart Water is a non-hazardous liquid that can be used to mark property. Each batch has a unique ‘DNA-type’ forensic code, tying its use to a specific location or item of property. This technology is designed as a deterrent to potential thieves. It is also an extra method of detecting stolen items, and linking them to offenders. The initiative coincides with Hampshire Constabulary’s Operation Nemesis, which is designed to target, prevent and reduce burglaries. A request has been made for further packs and we hope to be able to distribute theses to residents in areas where a burglary has taken place. SmartWater is, without doubt, one of the best crime prevention and detection systems available for the general public. Anyone coming into contact with the liquid can expect to have traces on skin or clothes several months later and any person brought into police custody is now checked for traces as it shows up under ultra violet light.
Police officers and PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers) from the Isle of Wight are on the frontline during Hampshire Constabulary’s campaign to reduce burglary. Officers from the South Wight area have been highlighting crime prevention techniques and handing out free electrical timers and energy saving bulbs to our Neighborhood Watch co coordinators to hand out to residents. The lights are designed to switch on and off automatically at times set by householders to give burglars the impression someone is home when everyone has gone out.Neighborhood Watch co-coordinators are a vital link between the police and the communities we work within. By explaining and demonstrating the mutual advantages of SmartWater, we hope more Neighborhood Watch members can feel they have the knowledge and ability to use technology in eliminating opportunities for burglars. This is just one of the messages we intend to give to residents as part of Operation Nemesis.
In addition when a burglary was reported in Ventnor, officers followed up with letters to residents in the surrounding area warning them to be vigilant reminding them to increase security checks such as locking the back door when sitting in the front of the house. Burglars have been known to walk in and take a handbag off a kitchen table. We also increased our high visibility patrols in the area, alongside plain clothes officers from our CID department and Priority Crime Unit.
School Citizenship Week
by Duncan Smith
The South Wight Safer Neighbourhoods Team is working with students to support their education on being responsible members of the community. We organised and hosted a citizenship week at Ventnor Middle School in February 2009. Police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) teamed up with partner agencies to deliver a variety of presentations and activities for pupils aged between nine and 13. The week featured advice on how to react in an emergency, safety in the community, the effects of crime and anti-social behaviour on victims, and the consequences for offenders. Students took part in a competition to design an anti-bullying poster. The winners received recognition in a school assembly attended by PCSOs Chris Urry and Pete Downing on March 6. Firearms officers highlighted the risks associated with carrying knives and imitation weapons, while a police dog handler demonstrated search techniques for drugs. Pupils were taken out of school for a tour of the custody centre at Ryde Police Station and the Isle of Wight Crown Court in Newport. Partner agencies, including Isle of Wight Council’s Early Interventions Team, ‘Get Sorted’ under 19s substance misuse service, Ventnor Extended Schools co-ordinator Suze Keynes, and Linda Gorman from Ventnor youth club, were involved during the week.
PC Richard Taylor of the South Wight Safer Neighbourhoods team said: “The week gave the pupils a better insight into their responsibilities, the roles of the police and partner agencies. We hope all the activities will help these children make the right choices in their futures. Officers are keen to develop more opportunities like citizenship week to reinforce mutual respect and understanding between the police and young people.”
Ventnor Middle School Headteacher Patricia Harwood said: ”This was a wonderful experience for the children in the school and the content of the presentations led to very thoughful discussions. The biggest hit was the police dog, Rudy, whom the children would have liked to keep on site permanently.”
Alcohol and anti-social behaviour
We have all seen what happens when young people end up on the street late at night after drinking too much alcohol. The pubs have closed but the noise, damage and violence that follows is a major problem in many areas. The South Wight SNT has been fully committed to breaking that cycle, which I know from predecessors was a problem in the town centre. One of the best ways to start was by supporting and encouraging an effective Pubwatch scheme. Run by local licensees and supported by PC Neil Payne, the South Wight area now has an enviable Pub Watch scheme. At regular intervals throughout the year, PC Payne will meet with the licensees to talk about whether there are any emerging problems. By working together they can decide on early actions to solve those problems. In order to maintain their alcohol licence, the licensee has a duty to ensure they are not contributing to anti-social behaviour in the town. That responsibility includes refusing to serve those who are already in drink. At the Pubwatch meetings, licensees can also discuss the behaviour of individuals and decide on whether to implement a ban on that person from their premises. This usually means banned from one then banned from all. All decisions to ban troublemakers are made by the members themselves. The police do not have any voting rights at meetings, nor are recommendations made by officers. The police are referred to only for factual information, which is then only disclosed when relevant to the issue under discussion. Pubwatch is therefore a scheme run ‘by licensees for licensees’, supported by the police.
An innovative form of drug testing has proven a success in pubs around Ventnor and in the rural areas. It is called 'Ion Track’ and involves swabs being taken from surface areas in pubs to indicate whether drugs have been used recently. This was a voluntary exercise for the licensees and to their credit only one pub refused. The information gained was analysed and each licensee was spoken to about the results. This exercise provided good intelligence for the police but also gave the licensee an opportunity to be more vigilant and to report any suspicious behaviour to local officers. By working together police and licensees are sending out a message to say we will not tolerate drunken anti-social behaviour or drug taking in pubs, which can lead to damage and other crime later in the evening.
Officers from our Licensing Department have already carried out test purchasing in a joint operation with Isle of Wight Council officers. This involved sending someone who is underage into an off licence to buy alcohol. If they are served, the licensee will be subject to a fixed penalty notice and repeated offences could result in a suspension of their licence itself. Managers of our licences have responded positively by adopting a policy of not selling alcohol to anyone who is or appears to be under the age of 21. In addition, officers have been working very closely with our supermarkets who decide to issue banning letters to individuals. Police officers will support robustly those premises that decide to take this action. This partnership action is the best way to improve the quality of life for law abiding residents and to ensure Ventnor and the South Wight remains a safe place to grow up, to live and to work. This is the objective for all the officers working for the South Wight SNT.
Recent legislation such as Section 27 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act has given officers the power to ban anyone over the age of 16 who is in drink and acting in an anti social manner from a specified area for up to 48 hours. The area could even be a village or a town centre for example. If that person is seen in that area within the time specified then he or she will be arrested. This immediate, on the spot action has been used very effectively and has sent a powerful message to those individuals that the police will not tolerate them hanging around in the towns/villages late at night, intimidating law abiding residents.
Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs)
Officers on the team understand that a few individuals in towns or villages can have a disproportionate effect on the quality of life for the rest of the law abiding community. We have taken action to stop youths hanging around drinking alcohol. Officers are on foot patrol in those problem areas and will not hesitate to use powers under the Confiscation of Alcohol Act to seize and dispose of any alcohol being drunk by our youth in public places. Officers are also visiting schools to give talks on the effects of anti social behaviour. For those few individuals who refuse to stop offending, we now have the Anti Social Behaviour Order (ASBO). This is a very effective tool to have and recently led to one trouble maker being banned from entering Ventnor town for two years. If the person decides not to comply then they can be arrested and taken back to the court to explain their actions to the magistrates. In March 2009, a second order was issued on another individual, and the team has been given the authority for a third in the near future. This action sends a clear message to those individuals that the law abiding majority can take control over those who think they can do what they want, when they want, with no consequences. In addition whilst working closely with our partners in local housing associations, we have issued letters to tenants who are anti-social, warning them they risk losing their right to a place to live if they continue. Curfews and other restraining orders support this whole process and give us further control over those few who have no respect for their fellow residents.
How you can take action
Officers here know only too well that the action outlined above will be used against a minority of our residents. The vast majority of our residents and our youth are law abiding and decent people. Officers want those people to feel we are there to support them and that we are working hard to ensure they can go about their lives free from intimidation and abuse. I would like to invite residents to speak to us when ever they want to and to feel comfortable in doing so. It is important we work hard to gain and maintain that respect and trust, and when out on patrol, officers are happy for residents to approach them to talk about any issues.
Performance figures showing the amount and type of crime committed in the South Wight when compared to previous years can be viewed on this website. This can give our residents an indication as to whether our actions have been successful.
Officers on the SWSNT will endeavour to be in the right place at the right time to tackle those problems that reduce the quality of life for the majority of our residents. In order to ensure we do this then we rely on members of the public contacting us to tell us what is happening.
There is a number of ways to do this:
Phone 101 or 0845 045 45 45 and ask to leave a message for your local officers on the South Wight Safer Neighbourhoods Team (in an emergency always call 999)
E-mail us directly: southwight.snt@hampshire.pnn.police.uk
Mail: Ventnor Police Station, Hambrough Road, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, PO38 1SG.
We will endeavour to get back to you within 24 hours. If we do not we will give you an explanation as to why we were unable to do so. We always welcome views and comments from the community.
There will be forthcoming beat surgeries by the officers and local council members, community focus meetings to identify common problems and action taken to tackle these problems.
The community are urged to come to these meetings and get involved in improving their quality of life - visit this link for details of community meetings in the area. If you would like to speak to an officer about a particular issue or if you would like to invite a member of the team to attend your neighbourhood watch, residents association or other local meeting to talk about crime and anti-social behaviour, just drop a line on email or give the team a call using the contact details below.
Come and tell us what is important to you in your neighbourhood, and play your part in setting local priorities.
You could also volunteer to help the teams working in your local area and make a real difference to your neighbourhood. Click here for more information about police support volunteers.
Crime mapping and local performance information
Hampshire Constabulary has joined with partner agencies in the two counties to provide you with local information about crime and disorder, using a system called CADDIE. On the bottom left hand side of this page, you can enter your postcode into CADDIE to view information about your local area.
You can also see how we are performing against a set of key criteria: Link to Ventnor Neighbourhood Performance page
How to contact Sergeant Richard Stapleton and the Ventnor Safer Neighbourhoods Team (SNT)
Ventnor Police Station, Hambrough Road, Ventnor, PO38 1SG
Phone: 0845 045 45 45
E-mail: southwight.snt@hampshire.pnn.police.uk
Online links to partner organisations in the South Wight area:
Ventnor Town Council
http://www.ventnortowncouncil.org.uk/
Chale Parish Council
http://www.chale.org.uk/
Wroxall Parish Council
http://www.iwight.com/council/parish_councils/wroxall/
Niton and Whitwell Parish Council
http://www.iwight.com/council/parish%5Fcouncils/nitonwhitwell/
Godshill Parish Council
http://www.iwight.com/parishcouncils/parishcouncilsdetail.aspx?id=11
