Working together for a safer, cleaner and stronger neighbourhood.
Friday, 26 July 2013
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
Thought for the Week
“People could find no place in their consciousness for such an unimaginable horror … and they did not have courage to face it. It is possible to live in a twilight between knowing and not knowing.” W A Visser’t Hooft, Protestant theologian (reflecting in 1973 on the Churches’ knowledge of the Holocaust)
Tuesday, 23 July 2013
Police launch social media initiative to get victims back on their bikes.
Cumbria Police are launching a new ‘Flickr’ site where victims of stolen bicycles can post pictures of their property in a bid to get them returned.
The ‘Flickr’ site will be predominantly promoted by a hashtag - #wheresmybike, which people can follow and interact with.
Followers will be encouraged to visit the “Flickr” site where the bike photograph including unique identifiers and location of the offence will be provided. If an offender is known or an identification made, please do not post directly on social media, contact Cumbria Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Craig Smith, Detective Inspector of the Force Intelligence Bureau, said “Bike theft is an increasing problem in Cumbria. Due to the soaring popularity of cycling, it is a crime that we would like to prevent from rising and help reunite victims of theft with their property.
“We are aiming to utilise social media to assist in our efforts to bring bike theft rates down. We believe that we can reach out to a wider audience by using social networking sites such as Flickr and Twitter highlighting where possible, stolen pedal cycles.”
In 2012, 910 bikes were reported stolen in Cumbria with the total valuation of the bikes stolen was over £480,000. In 2011, 941 bikes were reported stolen with the total valuation of the bikes stolen was over £380,000. So far this year, 377 bikes have been stolen with a total valuation of over £176,000.
Detective Inspector Smith added “With the Tour de Britain’s second leg being held in the county, as well as the picturesque setting which bikers can travel in, we expect to see a rise in the number of cyclists coming to the area.
“Thieves are opportunists and we would urge anyone who values their bikes to get them insured and to make sure it is locked up at all times when not in use. Treat your bike as if it was your car, you wouldn’t leave that unlocked.”
The Flickr site’s address is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cumbriapolice/sets/
POLICE LAUNCH SUMMER INTERNET SAFETY CAMPAIGN
Yesterday saw the launch of Cumbria Constabulary’s internet safety campaign which aims to raise awareness of how young people can stay safe online.
The campaign will run during the summer holidays (Friday 19th July – Thursday 5th September), and will focus on different aspects of internet safety.
For the next two weeks police will be giving advice about sites like Twitter and Facebook offering tips on how parents can ensure their children are using social media safely and securely.
Top tips include:
- Stay up-to-date. Ask about your child’s new gadgets, apps and websites – it is important to be aware of new technologies and developments that your child may be using
- Set boundaries. Treat the online world as you would the ‘real’ world – consider what or who they may see, share and communicate with, as well as how long they spend online
- Know what connects to the internet and how. Today many technologies connect to the internet – including TVs and games consoles. Check how they are accessing the internet – if it is through a neighbour’s Wifi, your security settings may not be applied
- Cyber-bullying can be very distressing and upsetting – talk to your child regularly about their experiences, both online and offline
For more information or advice please visit: http://www.cumbria.police.uk/advice-and-information/online-safety
Detective Inspector Stephanie Brown, Public Protection Unit at Cumbria Constabulary, said “More and more children are now on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, often unsupervised. While these sites can provide entertainment and a way for young people to chat to their friends, they can also cause problems.
“I would encourage all parents to become familiar with these sites and be aware of the potential risks associated with them. Follow our Facebook or Twitter pages, or #SafeOnline, for more advice.”
Helen Smith, from Children’s Services at Cumbria County Council, said “It is just as important to protect our children online, as it is offline. The internet is now a big part of most children’s daily lives, and as such I would encourage all parents to take an active interest in social media sites.
“These sites are wonderful communication tools, but parents need to be aware of all the risks in order to protect their children. I think this campaign is a great opportunity to remind people of some of the simple things they can do to keep children safe.”
More tips can be found at www.thinkyouknow.co.uk from the Child and Online Protection Centre (CEOP).
The NSPCC has recently launched a campaign to tackle the prevention of child sexual abuse – more information can be found here: http://www.nspcc.org.uk/
Monday, 22 July 2013
Stay safe online this summer holiday
Cumbria Constabulary is launching an internet safety campaign this summer to raise awareness of how to keep young people safe online. The campaign is timed to run throughout the school summer holidays in Cumbria (19th July – 5th September), highlighting three key areas:
- Weeks 1 & 2 will focus on social media, and the steps parents can take to ensure their children are not putting themselves at risk
- Weeks 3 & 4 will focus on ‘sexting’ and inappropriate images, and highlighting to young people the serious consequences of what may seem like a harmless activity
- Weeks 5 & 6 will focus on online safety (including internet purchases), outlining key ways parents and young people alike can protect themselves from fraud and viruses online
Key messages will be available on the Cumbria Constabulary website, Facebook and Twitter pages – follow the tweets at #SafeOnline
Friday, 19 July 2013
Police and Crime Commissioner Responds to Inspectorate’s Report
Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner Richard Rhodes response to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary’s (HMIC) report ‘Cumbria Constabulary’s Response to the Funding Challenge’.
Mr Rhodes said “I welcome the positive feedback this report has provided on the good progress Cumbria Constabulary is making in achieving the savings required by reductions in our grant. The Inspectorate confirmed that plans are in place to deliver all of the savings required. The report provides an important check and balance on the cuts that have been made.
“Cumbria Constabulary has to make £17m savings and that is not without its challenges. The report recognises the work that has been done to maintain the frontline despite the cuts in our funding. It shows that the proportion of officers in frontline crime-fighting roles is planned to increase to 95%. As Commissioner, I know this is important for the public. I have worked with the Chief Constable to provide a budget which allows police officer and PCSO numbers to remain at 1134 and 95 respectively for two years.
“HMIC has recognised the challenges faced by Cumbria Constabulary in policing a large rural county like Cumbria and highlights some of the higher costs that come as a result of that. The report also identifies the negative impact that any change in funding allocations would have on Cumbria. Going forward we will fully engage with the Home Office on any debate that takes place on this significant issue.”
T/Chief Constable Lawson said “The HMIC have published their latest report into Valuing the Police and I am pleased to see confirmation that Cumbria Constabulary has made good progress towards delivering the savings of £17 million by March 2015.
“These have been financially challenging times, in which every department has looked to make savings. However, it is positive to see how the workforce within Cumbria Constabulary continue to provide an excellent service to the people of Cumbria. Over the first two years of the spending review, recorded crime fell by 14% for the area, with 89.6% of victims feeling satisfied with the service they received.
“Community policing continues to be our priority, with our aim to have 95% of officers in frontline crime-fighting roles by March 2015.
“We are adapting our way of working to make the necessary changes to save the £17 million required and we will be a smaller force after we have delivered all savings. However, we are committed in doing everything we can to ensure that this does not impact on the high standards of service communities receive from Cumbria Constabulary.”
Crime down by 11% in Cumbria
Crime in Cumbria has fallen by 11% the latest figures released by the Office of National Statistics show.
The figures from April 2012 to the end of March 2013 detail that there was a 9% reduction in violence against the person, a 4% reduction in domestic burglaries and a 16% drop in criminal damage.
Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Richard Rhodes said “It is pleasing that the latest set of crime figures show that crime is again down in the county. Cumbria had the third lowest number of crimes in England and Wales proving Cumbria really is a safe place to live, work and visit.
“Overall, there has been an 11% drop in crime across the county which is an outstanding result for the people of Cumbria.
“Anti-social behaviour has reduced by 1% (271 less incidents) across the county. Figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales show that the proportion of people surveyed in Cumbria who say they have experienced or witnessed antisocial behaviour is second of the lowest in the country. This good news for local people who often tell me that tackling antisocial behaviour is a priority. I will continue to work with the Constabulary and partner organisations to reduce the harm it causes.
“There was a reduction in the domestic burglaries but an increase in other types of burglary such as shed thefts. Preventing these crimes is a priority for the Constabulary and I will ensure that it continues to be. Even though we live in a safe county, I would urge everyone to think about the security of their property.
“Cumbria Constabulary has some of the highest rates for solving crime in the country. However, like a number of police forces across the country, there was a 2 percentage point reduction in its detection rate last year. Bringing criminals to justice is a priority and I have asked the Chief Constable to focus on this.
“Under reporting still remains an issue and I would urge people, especially those experiencing domestic violence, hate crime and sexual assaults, to come forward.
“Overall, these figures demonstrate the high-level of dedication and hard-work by the Chief Constable, all officers, PCSOs and police staff together with partners and members of the public. The Police Authority also has had a key role in providing scrutiny prior to my election in November.
“I have set the policing priorities for Cumbria Constabulary for the next 12 months in line with the Police and Crime Plan. I will keep you updated on performance as we progress through the year.”
Temporary Chief Constable Bernard Lawson said “I am pleased to see that overall crime in Cumbria remains low.
“Over the last year police officers, PCSOs and staff have been working hard to support our communities to tackle crime, anti-social behaviour and focus on the issues that matter most to local people. This commitment shines through in the latest figures released today showing that crime has fallen by 11%.
“Despite the general overall reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour that these figures show, we will not become complacent. Our priority will always be to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour by engaging with the people in our local communities so that we can focus our resources on the areas that they feel are important.
“It is important for our communities to know that we are working to tackle burglaries in Cumbria to reduce this type of crime. A vast amount of work has been done by police officers and staff to target these criminals and promote home security.
‘’We continue to encourage people to report all incidents to the police. We have experienced and highly skilled officers who want to help those people who are suffering at home due to domestic violence, hate crime and sexual assaults. Our message is always please do not suffer in silence, let us help.
“We are in a difficult financial climate and have adapted our way of working to make necessary changes to save the £17 million required, which by the end we will be a smaller force. However, we are committed in doing everything we can to ensure that this does not impact on the high standards of service our communities receive from Cumbria Constabulary.”
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
Friday, 12 July 2013
Wednesday, 10 July 2013
Thought for the Week
“Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.” Plato
Thursday, 4 July 2013
Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Thought for the Week
“Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronising, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.” Nelson Mandela
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