*Page updated 28/12/11*
Sergeant Stewart Chandler, right, leads the Safer Neighbourhoods team (SNT) for Highfield:
There has been a restructure of policing across the City and this has lead to an increase in the numbers of officers dedicated to Neighbourhood Policing. Highfield has the following officers on its team headed by Inpector Mark Lewis and lead by Sgt Stewart Chandler, right:
PC Virginie Hartgill
PC Emily Hawksworth
PC Andy Alderson
PC Dan Smith
PCSO Hayley Taite
PCSO Helen Kemble
PC Steve Blandford ( Engagement Officer)
BURGLARY WARNING - Student Homes & Multiple Occupancy Dwellings Being Targeted
Are you a student living in Southampton? Burglars are targeting homes in the area of the flowers estate near the university. Please tell other students and ensure you all secure your rooms and property when leaving it unattended.
Your local priorities
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 Safer Neighbourhoods priorities set at the last PACT (Police And Community Together) meeting are :
- The prevention and detection of Burglaries across the Portswood and Highfield area.
- To reduce anti-social behaviour along Burgess Road and acros the entire beat area.
These are the priorities that people in your local area have agreed with the Safer Neighbourhoods team. You can influence these priorities by contacting your team, attending a meeting or speaking to members of the team when you see them out and about.
The next PACT meeting is to be held at Swaythling Neighbourhood Center on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 7pm.
Action taken in relation to our priorities so far:
You said: Prevention and detection of burglaries.
We did: A significant amount of work, time and resource has been spent across the beat focusing Policing on the issue of Burglary. Police have increasingly used social media as an avenue to engage with the large student population to pass on crime prevention advice. More traditional and perhaps recognisable tatics have included dedicated and targeted high visibility patrols to deter criminals and reassure the public. More covert operations have been undertaken with a view to catching offenders and currently, the Force is running it very high profile and successful 'Operation Nemises' which targets criminals involved in acquisitive crime.
You said: Reuce anti-social behaviour along Burgess Road.
We did: The anti-social behaviour issue igh visibility patrols, conducting stop checks in the area and dispersing youths where necessary.
Local initiatives and successes
Burglary offences had seen a rise across the whole of the city and Highfield was not exempt. In response both high visibility and covert patrols have been conducted to reassure residents and to catch criminals, this has lead to offenders being arrested and the burglary rate is now lower.
Crime Prevention Advice
Many burglaries are committed by opportunists where the property has been left insecure or where property has been left on view. Many have also been committed by using the householder’s garden tools which have been removed from unlocked sheds or garages. Your Safer Neighbourhoods team are advising all residents to review household security, including outbuildings, and not to leave anything of value on display. If you would like further information to help make your home more secure, please contact us.
Operation Batcombe
Operation Batcombe is a police-led multi agency initiative aimed at educating students regarding anti-social behaviour, noise nuisance and criminal damage, as well as providing personal safety information. Regular patrols have taken place with particular emphasis on the Glen Eyre Road area. This has led to environmental changes, the repositioning of taxi ranks and better working relationships with university security staff and the student's union. These operations are ongoing throughout the academic year.
Neighbourhood Watch
Neighbourhood Watch groups are being set up across Highfield. Local police officers work with the community to set these groups up and advise them on security issues. If you would like to start up a neighbourhood watch group in your neighbourhood contact Portswood police station.
Noise
Residents often complain about the amount of noise created by students as they return home late at night. Highfield Safer Neighbourhoods team works closely with Southampton University to try and prevent this problem from recurring. Extra patrols have been put in place in the area to enforce designated non-drinking areas and targeted operations are regularly carried out to try and make students more aware of the impact they have on local residents when returning from a night out. Noise incidents should be reported to Southampton City Council to report the incident. Use the following email or phone number to report the incident: public.health@southampton.gov.uk. Phone: 023 8083 2531 or contacting Environmental Health to report the incident
Forthcoming beat surgeries
Beat surgeries are held every two weeks on a Saturday, usually from 11am until 1pm. The surgeries are based at the Waitrose store on Portswood Broadway . This is an ideal time to pop in and have an informal chat with members of the team. Officers and PCSO's representing Highfield, Bevois and Bannister and the St Deny's areas will be present. Come and tell us what is important to you in your neighbourhood and play your part in setting local priorities. Times may vary due to operational commitments. This will usually involve chaning the hours to 10am - 12pm.
Police And Community Together meetings have been introduced throughout Southampton and are currently held quarterly in each of the Portswood police neighbourhoods.
Meetings are organised and chaired by officers from your Safer Neighbourhood Team and involve people who form part of a Key Individual Network (KIN). A KIN is a key person from the community with good contacts within that community.
People currently involved include your local Councillors, representatives from local resident associations , neighbourhood groups, local housing associations, care homes, housing societies, school head teachers, Police, Southampton City Council and Southampton University amongst others.
PACT meetings are a formal way to identify areas of concerns of the local community, local issues are discussed and from here we set your community priorities for the next three months.
Your Safer Neighbourhoods team will then set action plans to tackle the issues and use multi-agency strategies to collectively address the priority with an aim to achieve the objective and resolve the problem. If you feel you would like to get involved in this process and assist with your local community issues, then please contact us and we can will advise you on how to become involved in the meetings.
This is your opportunity to have a say on the priorities for your neighbourhood. If you are interested in this please send us your e-mail to: portswood.snt@hampshire.pnn.police.uk
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.
How to contact us
Highfield Safer Neighbourhoods team would like to hear about any concerns or issues affecting their community. If you would like to speak to someone about policing in your local area, please call 101 or email portswood.snt@hampshire.pnn.police.uk
