For more info contact Rebecca Rawlings on 01229 876475 or email at rrawlings@barrowbc.gov.uk

For more info contact Rebecca Rawlings on 01229 876475 or email rrawlings@barrowbc.gov.uk

Who Pays The Price? "The One With The Violence"

For more info please contact Rebecca Rawlings on 01229 876475 or email rrawlings@barrowbc.gov.uk

Who Pays The Price? "The One With The Sex"

For more info contact Rebecca Rawlings on 01229 876475 or email rrawlings@barrowbc.gov.uk

New interview suite in South Furness will help victims of serious crime

Cumbria Constabulary is set to launch a new video suite in South Furness to help support victims and witnesses of serious crimes.

Thanks to the support of Cumbria County Council, local councillors and the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership that have together secured the £26,500 needed to run the new facility, officers will officially open the video suite on Thursday 30 June 2011.

Currently, victims or witnesses of serious crime in South Furness who need to be video interviewed are transported to the nearest video suite facility which is in Windermere – a journey that can take up to an hour from the South Furness area. In addition to the inconvenience caused to the interviewees, this process cost Cumbria Constabulary around £13,000 in the time it took officers’ to travel to and from the premises each year, and approximately £3,000 per year in fuel.

Detective Sergeant Mike Brown is based in Barrow police station and has been leading the project. He said: “I am delighted that after more than a year of planning, South Furness is now able to provide a facility that will significantly improve the service and care provided to victims and witnesses of crime.

“This project has only been made possible by real partnership working and a shared understanding by organisations in the area that the responsibility to improve the standards of care to victims falls to everybody – not just the police.

“The law states that in cases involving vulnerable people, children or any sexual offences, victims need to be video interviewed. This is to ensure we secure the best possible evidence and get clear statements while memories are detailed and fresh. It also provides the best protection for a victim or witness in court.

“Those who contributed funding for this project recognise that it is vital that people involved in serious incidents like sexual or violent crimes are video interviewed at the earliest possible stage in order to help secure convictions. The new suite will be more accessible and is designed to be more comfortable and welcoming than an interview room in a police station. It aims to provide an environment that makes the interviewee as relaxed as possible in the hope of making the whole experience of recalling their experiences and being questioned by police less traumatic.”

Officers hope that the new facility will reduce the number of complaints that are withdrawn as previously individuals have refused to travel to Windermere to be interviewed. Officers have also had to stop and assist many victims who suffered from travel sickness – so they had an unpleasant experience before they even reached the interview suite.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Duhig from Cumbria Constabulary’s Public Protection Department said: “The opening of the interview suite tomorrow will make a real difference to vulnerable victims of crime in South Furness.

“This project is an excellent example of working positively with other key partners who are also committed to protecting the public, especially children and adults who may be at risk. At a time when Cumbria Constabulary has to save significant sums of money this new facility would not have been possible without the support of partner agencies and local councillors who donated so generously, and Cumbria County Council who have provided the building free of charge for five years.”

Councillor Gary Strong, Cumbria County Council's Cabinet member responsible for safer and stronger communities, said: "The County Council recognises the important role the new video suite will play in lessening the trauma to victims of crime.

"Tackling crime and supporting communities requires a fully co-ordinated multi-agency approach and that is what we've seen delivered here. Traditional boundaries between organisations have been broken down, there's been no buck-passing or finger pointing - instead we've all worked together to deliver something the people of Barrow need and deserve."

Safer, Stronger, Better…Excellence in our communities

Tuesday 14 June 2011 at The Studio, the forum, Duke Street, Barrow 9.30am.

9.30am Coffee and registration
10.00am Introduction – Dave Coverdale, CDRP chair
10.10am Community activism HERE Community groups and neighbourhood watch in Barrow and the surrounding areas Presented by local people and supported by their PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers)
10.40am Community Messaging in Barrow and Cumbria Luke Chandler
11.00am Coffee
11.20am Demonstration by a Cumbria Constabulary Drugs Dog and handler
11.45am Summation and Close

To confirm your attendance please contact Rebecca on rrawlings@barrowbc.gov.uk or 01229 876475 or 07747446234

Safer, Stronger, Better - all welcome!

Safer, Stronger, Better … excellence in our communities

The next safer, Stronger, Better event organised by Barrow Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership is planned for

Tuesday 8 February 2011, 9.30am in the Studio, the Forum, Duke Street.

The main presentations will be;

‘Loan sharks and illegal money lending’

and

‘Burglary prevention for vulnerable people’

For further information please contact Rebecca Rawlings on 01229 876475 or email rrawlings@barrowbc.gov.uk

Safer, stronger, better event ...

Click on the image above to enlarge.

Barrow Neighbourhood Policing Team move to new base on Dalton Road

The Neighbourhood Policing Team that covers Barrow Island and Barrow central has moved into the Neighbourhood Management offices on Dalton Road.

The new accommodation will allow the team of twelve officers to work alongside some of their key partners including Neighbourhood Wardens, Barrow’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership and Furness Enterprise. It will also ensure that the police continue to have a solid, high visibility presence in the town centre.

Inspector David Bosson who leads Barrow’s Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “This is a very positive move that has been well received by members of our team and the Neighbourhood Management Board. It will provide residents of Barrow central, Hindpool and Barrow Island with a ‘one stop shop’ to tackle local community concerns and enables the different agencies that are very closely aligned to work together under one roof.

“This is a big step forward in our partnership approach to policing community issues and will make information sharing a lot easier. The team will continue to provide the same high standards of community policing but it means that we are better placed and have more resources to tackle local issues than ever before.”

Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hyde said: “Cumbria Constabulary is committed to maintaining a visible policing presence in Barrow. This new base will provide the residents and businesses of Barrow with a consistent high visibility police presence in close proximity to many shops, businesses, pubs and clubs.

“I’d like to thank the IT team at Barrow Borough Council who have worked extremely hard to overcome technical issues to allow us to move into the building as quickly as we have.

“Working in the Neighbourhood Management offices will strengthen our relationship with other local agencies and will take our partnership approach to tackling local issues to the next level. As we face tough financial challenges, collaborating with partner agencies will become absolutely key to the future of Cumbria Constabulary.”

The police station on Market Street will remain the main point for the public to report crimes and meet with police officers face-to-face. The Neighbourhood Management Offices on Dalton Road will be open to the public who would like help or advice on community issues for the Barrow Central, Hindpool and Barrow Island areas.

Neighbourhood Manager Steve Robson added: “We are delighted that the police have moved into our premises as this further cements our day to day working relationship and also improves the opportunities for working together in the future.

“We’ve made great progress tackling crime and anti-social behaviour over the last four years through consistently working together to tackle community problems. This move is the next step and we hope to continue to see improvements in community life in Barrow for years to come.”

The Neighbourhood Management Offices are open to the public between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.

The Neighbourhood Policing team will be hosting a ‘meet and greet’ session for the local community on Dalton Road adjacent to Thorntons on Thursday 9 December from 12pm-3pm. This event will be used as an opportunity for any members of the community to come along and meet their officers, see where abouts they are based and ask police any questions.

You are invited to Safer, Stronger, Better - 4

You are invited to Safer, Stronger, Better 4

Ever wondered about how the Police police our night time economy?

Why not come along to our event on 28th September to find out? 9.30-12.15pm at the Forum, Duke Street, meet on the Gallery at the top of the stairs for coffee and biscuits at 9.30am. The first presentation will start at 10am in The Studio.

Coffee break just after 11am followed by a short DVD about Barrow's homeless community, brought to us by Barrow Borough Council’s Housing Department. Further presentation to be confirmed. Ring Rebecca Rawlings on 01229 876475 to book a place.

Bringing communities together

Are you a neighbourhood watch, community group, residents group, tenants group or any other sort of group in Barrow, Dalton, Ulverston or nearby? Every 3 months a representative from lots of these types of groups come together for a drink and a chat the next one is on 2nd September, 6pm at Barrow Fire Station. Ring Rebecca on 01229 876475 for more details.

FREE bike marking events

FREE bike marking events ...

Central and Hindpool Neighbourhood Management office, Dalton Rd 1 September 10-4pm

The Old Caretakers House, Adelaide St, 2 September 10-4pm

Lots more events throughout the Barrow area, click on the image right to enlarge for further details.

Stall in Barrow Market ...

The stall went really well in Barrow Market today with lots of visitors picking up leaflets, free dog fouling bags, UV pens etc.

Lots of people also donated to the charity we were collecting for, Furness Homeless Support Group, which was really great.

The people of Barrow were very generous, including a couple of £10 donations, and in a few hours we raised £105.50.

Thanks very much for all your contributions, it was nice for us to meet lots of people and have a chat.

Come and see us in Barrow Market tomorrow

Visit us at our stall in Barrow Market tomorrow (Friday 18th) between 11am and 3pm.

We'll have lots of freebies - UV pens, dog fouling bags, Stubbies, leaflets and kids activity books. We've also got a wide range of stuff like frisbies, coloured pencils, cups, skipping ropes, pens etc etc which we're giving away for donations to Furness Homeless Shelter ... come and see us!