Hampshire Constabulary

You are here: Home → News & Campaigns → Press Releases → Police and partnering agencies team up to give St Marys church yard back to the community

Police and partnering agencies team up to give St Marys church yard back to the community

Press Releases

Published: 06/08/2010


A local church yard in Fratton is set to improve with the help of local police, council and partnering agencies in Portsmouth.

The St Marys Church yard was the location of a Crime Reduction Environment Week, or CREW, after residents in the area had voiced concerns of the individuals frequenting the area and carrying out anti-social behaviour.

The church yard had recently fallen victim to a number of issues caused by individuals in the area. After receiving reports of these issues, a partnership meeting was held between several agencies including the Kingston Safer Neighbourhoods team (SNT), Portsmouth City Council, Housing and Trading Standards.

PC Ben Treend of the Kingston SNT formed a strategy to join the agencies together and combat the issues in the area, and led the way by organising the CREW.

PC Treend said: “We’ve been working tirelessly at this location to target the few people who are causing these issues. Reports of street drinking, aggressive and anti-social behaviour and littering are examples of what we have learned from residents. 

“In response to this we have been performing plain clothes operations, frequent high visibility patrols, and stopping and speaking to those we encounter.

“The Community Day on Wednesday was the highlight of the week, giving us a valuable opportunity to engage with the public and let them know about how they can get help from the different services available to them. We have received some very positive feedback regarding our efforts, and we will continue to focus on this area.

“Arrests have been made as a result of the actions we have taken, and we would like to give special thanks to the support we have received from the partnering agencies who have worked with us.”

Portsmouth City Council’s community wardens also took a tough stance on the area, and have worked hard with the police on engaging with the local residents.

Community warden Rob South said: “We as a partnership care about the city we live in, and will do everything in our power to aid the communities we work in and improve the local neighbourhood.

“The feedback we have received from residents will help us in setting our local priorities for the area, and with the help of local people we can improve the area they live in.”

Inspector Gary Munt, who leads the Frattons SNTs, said: “The work that has been carried out this week has shown excellent examples of partnership working, and engaging with the local community in order to tackle issues within the Kingston area.

“We will continue to work as a partnership and keep in close contact with local people to keep the community safe and secure.”


Copyright © Hampshire Constabulary 2012.

News | Freedom of Information | Complaints | Reporting Crime | Disclaimer