Police launch campaign to raise awareness of policing services available

Cumbria Police are launching a campaign to raise awareness of the different policing services available and to ensure people get the right response and information for the right situation.

There are many different ways members of the public can get in contact with the police, but certain channels are more suitable depending on the nature and urgency of the problem.

The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of how people can get the response or information they need more effectively. As a result, it is hoped that unnecessary demand on the service will be reduced.

Chief Superintendent Steve Johnson said “We always encourage people to dial 999 straight away in an emergency, but we want to make sure they realise that there are other ways to contact police when an immediate response is not required.

“There is a lot of information on our website, and this can be a much more convenient way of getting information and finding out what is going on in the county or a certain area in particular.

“We also aim to highlight where the police aren’t the correct agency to contact for a solution. For instance when someone finds a stray dog, has a parking problem or wants to report lost property – these aren’t matters for the police and we want to educate the public on where they should go instead, and how they should contact the correct organisation.

“And we are going to ask people to really think before they pick up the phone. We get many people call us to ask for the number of a taxi firm or to ask directions, and we even recently had a caller ask what temperature they should put the oven on to cook a chicken. This may seem amusing, but it could have prevented us from speaking to someone who required an urgent response.

“Without all the misdirected calls, officers will have even more time to focus on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, and responding to those who really need our help.”

Cumbria Police also have an updated website (still found at www.cumbria.police.uk) which will continue to feature the latest news and information about the policing service and county. It will also give easy-to-follow advice on who to contact and how to contact them for a range of specific queries, and offer the new facility of reporting a non-emergency crime online.

The average visits to the website is just over 40,000 a month.

As part of the campaign, information leaflets and cards will be distributed to local police desks, and our social media feeds will focus on directing people towards the most appropriate service for their needs, with the #PolicingCumbria.

Chief Superintendent Johnson added “It’s really important for both the public and the service that people direct their problems to the right place – it’s about helping us to help you.”

Policing services:

Social media and the Community Messaging Service – is continuously updated with the latest news, appeals, safety information and crime prevention advice.

Police website – This also gives detailed information about crime prevention and safety advice, as well the latest news, information about the police, and the new additions as mentioned above.

Police stations and desks – These give people the chance to speak to someone face to face, with desks being held regularly in local communities where there isn’t a station. This would be the right place to go to make a statement, to speak to a local officer or for some crime prevention advice. 

101 – This should be used when a crime has been committed but an immediate response is not required. For example if your house has been burgled, your car has been stolen or your property has been damaged. These calls are now answered by police officers.

999 – This is to be used in an emergency situation and when an immediate response is required. This means that life is in danger, violence is being used or threatened, or a crime is in progress.Police launch campaign to raise awareness of policing services available

Police launch child sexual exploitation campaign

Today (9^th December) Cumbria Constabulary, along with partner agencies, have launched a campaign around child sexual exploitation (CSE).

For the next three days key information will be circulated on the Cumbria Police website and social media accounts, giving advice on how to prevent CSE and how to spot when it may be happening.

Today is focused on how everyone in Cumbria has a role to play in spotting and reporting CSE, regardless of their profession or knowledge of children.

The campaign follows the Police and Crime Commissioner’s conference on Friday (6^th November) which launched his further commitment to tackling domestic abuse and sexual violence.

A webchat will be taking place tomorrow (10^th December), which will allow anyone to ask any questions they may have around CSE. A number of different agencies will be taking part in the webchat, and will be offering advice and signposting to the best places to get support.

The webchat will take place between 6:30pm to 8pm here: www.cumbria.police.uk/csechat

DCI Nick Coughlan, from the Public Protection Unit for Cumbria Constabulary, said:

“We work very hard to bring CSE offenders to justice, as Operation Chiefton showed last week. However, it is crucial that we uncover any exploitation as quickly as possible and protect children in Cumbria.

“CSE is a crime that can affect any child, anytime, anywhere. That is why I am urging everyone in Cumbria to be vigilant against exploitation and report any suspicions to the police. This includes people who work in people-orientated professions, such as taxi drivers and hairdressers, who may see things signs that are hidden from close friends and family.

“CSE can take many forms – whether it is through a seemingly ‘consensual’ relationship with an older boyfriend, or a young person having sex in return for attention, gifts, alcohol or cigarettes.

“Child exploitation is thankfully rare but if you have any concerns please call Cumbria Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Protecting children is everyone’s responsibility.”

Police and Crime Commissioner, Richard Rhodes said:

“I welcome the Child Sexual Exploitation campaign by the Constabulary supported by operational policing activity which is a key priority from the Police and Crime Plan.  I hosted last week a good conference looking at the next steps to try and ensure that what is presently a rare crime in Cumbria doesn’t become accepted or established.”

Iain McKay, Service Manager for the NSPCC in Cumbria said:

“I commend Cumbria Police for the campaign they are running on Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) as this issue is sometimes seen as an issue only for inner cities but the real situation is that children and young people in every city, town and village, no matter how small, can be at risk of sexual exploitation.  CSE is an issue that everybody needs to take seriously and we have a responsibility as parents, carers, professionals and members of the wider community to be vigilant about children and young people who maybe or at risk of being sexually exploited.”        

Cllr Anne Burns, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said:

“When we discover abuse we do everything we can to protect children from further harm and help them recover. But it's vital to prevent abuse from happening to children in the first place.

“We have to solve this problem together, so we’ll be working hard with the Police to help raise awareness on how to protect against child sexual exploitation. Parents and professionals coming into contact with children must be able to spot possible signs of sexual abuse or exploitation, and be confident of what they need to do to protect that child.”

Caroline Ledward, Contract Lead at Inspira, said:

“Online and face to face relationships can sometimes be exploitative so it is important that young people are aware of the danger signs.

“Our advice to young people is that if you or your friends have concerns about staying safe at home, on the street or online speak to someone you can trust. We have advisers who are trained to help based at our Advice Services centres – these are located in Barrow, Carlisle, Workington and Whitehaven.

“The child sexual exploitation campaign is really important as it highlights how online and face to face relationships can end up being exploitative. Inspira will often conduct the ‘Return to Home’ interview for a young person once the Police have completed a ‘Safe and Well Check’.

“We encourage young people and parents/carers who are concerned to talk to someone they trust. Inspira advisers can be contacted in one of our four Advice Services centres around the county or by calling 0800 435 709.”

Heather McFarlane, Children’s Service’s Lead for Safeguarding and Protection for Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“Keeping children safe is the responsibility of everyone which is why it is so important for organisations to work together to raise awareness. Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is proud to be part of this campaign and hope that by highlighting some of these children’s stories more parents, relatives and friends will know the signs of this kind of abuse and contact the police. We also hope it will give children the confidence to speak up if they think they are being abused and to know that help is available.”

What are the signs you need to know?

• Repeatedly going missing-particularly overnight
• Coming home with unaccounted gifts, i.e. clothes, money, food, jewellery, drugs or mobile phone
• Having a relationship with an older partner with whom there may or may not be concerns
• Mood swings and changes in behaviour
• Excessive and secret use of internet and /or mobile phone (potential grooming)
• Spending more time in their room and was accessing their computer late at night
• Having several SIM cards, frequent mobile phone top ups
• Being unusually secretive
• Losing contact with family and friends of their own age and associating with an older age group
• Unrecognised cars arriving at the home, especially at strange times
• Alcohol/Substance misuse
• Unexplained injuries
• Lacking self-esteem, leading to a change in personal appearance
• Excessive Washing or bathing particularly when returning from missing episodes

And what makes a child more at risk?

• If they come from a chaotic or dysfunctional household
• A lack of friends in the same age group
• Confused about their sexuality
• History of domestic abuse or neglect
• Learning disabilities
• Have come into contact with other exploited youngsters, e.g. at school
• Have suffered a recent bereavement or loss
• Are homeless or living in residential care, a hostel or bed and breakfast
• Have low self-esteem or confidence
• Young carer

 Advice on child sexual exploitation can be found here: www.cumbria.police.uk/cse

Visit Missing People website here: www.missingpeople.org

Cumbria Constabulary introduce Lesbian and Gay Liaison Officers

A team of 20 officers and staff from Cumbria Constabulary will take up new roles at the end of this week as they become dedicated Lesbian and Gay Liaison Officers.

Cumbria Constabulary is launching the initiative on Friday 1 February to mark Gay History month, reflect the national policing scheme and, most importantly, to provide victims of hate crime with specially trained Lesbian and Gay Liaison Officers (LAGLOs) who are dedicated to dealing with hate crimes sensitively.

Police in Cumbria work hard to tackle hate crime and these new roles take over from previous LGBT officers to provide encouragement to victims to have the confidence to come forward.

Temporary Deputy Chief Constable, Michelle Skeer, said “We know that homophobic and transgender hate crime is often vastly under-reported and we hope that Lesbian and Gay Liaison Officers will help us to address this.

“In 2012, there were 36 homophobic crimes reported along with 3 transgender hate crimes. To put this into context, we received 166 reports of race hate crime in the same period.

“We don’t believe that there is a big issue with gay, lesbian or transgender people being targeted in Cumbria – however, these low numbers of reports suggest that victims may not be contacting us, which causes us concern.

“Our new Lesbian and Gay Liaison Officers have received special training to increase their understanding of lesbian, gay and transgender issues. We have a mix of officers and staff who have received this training and some of them are members of the gay community themselves, so are likely to have a better understanding of the concerns that victims may have.”

As well as being able to access LAGLO support by attending any police station or by contacting police on 101, third party reporting centres are also available across the county.

Third party reporting takes away the need for a victim to attend a police station or have any visible presence of police at their home. Instead, victims or witnesses can report incidents at a number of discreet outlets throughout the county. More information on third party reporting centres can be found here: www.cumbria.police.uk/advice-and-information/reporting-a-crime/hate-crime-and-incidents

Staff at these centres are trained to deal with third party reports in a manner that will ease any apprehension, which victims or witnesses may have in making such reports. They can also provide support, advice and potentially act as a link between victims and police.

T/DCC Skeer said “Put simply, hate crime is unacceptable, so we are doing all we can to tackle the issue in Cumbria. Every incident reported to us is investigated thoroughly and we have measures in place to ensure victims receive the support they need.

“The most important thing is we don’t want victims to suffer in silence. We need them to come forward, confide in us and we will do everything possible to ensure offenders are prosecuted so they won’t be targeted again.

“We are hosting a LGBT web chat on 7 February 2013 to mark Gay History month and encourage people from around the county to log on, ask questions or gain advice from the comfort of their homes. You don’t have to provide your name so all questions or information will be anonymous.

“Please take the time to log on, have your say and help us to stamp out hate crime in Cumbria.”

The web chat will take place between 6.30pm – 8.30pm on Thursday 7 February and will be hosted by some of the county’s LAGLOs. It is hoped this meeting will be as successful as the last LGBT online meeting hosted in September 2012 where 70 viewers logged on, 33 comments were posted from the public and 59 people replayed the discussion after the meeting closed. Join the webchat at www.cumbria.police.uk/lgbt.

Hate Crime can also be reported on-line through the Cumbria Constabulary website at www.cumbria.police.uk or through the True Vision website at www.report-it.org.uk

Victims of transphobic hate crime can also report incidents online at: http://www.tcrime.net

To contact police, or if you would like to speak to your local Lesbian and Gay Liaison Officer by phone, call 101. In an emergency call 999.

South Cumbria and Furness International Food Festival

The South Cumbria and Furness International Food Festival will be held on 8th and 9th June 2013.

Visiting Celebrity Chefs signed up already include ...

Jean-Christophe Novelli (Hell's Kitchen and Britain’s favourite French chef),

Simon Rimmer (Sunday Brunch and Something for the Weekend),

Chef Ooy (No1 Thai chef in the UK),

Alan Coxon (Bombay to Birmingham and first presenter of TV series "The Mint")

This list will be updated as more are confirmed.

Tickets for the demonstrations will be available by the end of January 2013 from The forum, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness - details of sessions will be published on Barrow Borough Council's website at www.barrowbc.gov.uk as soon as they are confirmed.

Exhibitors

If you would like to book a trade stand or food outlet at the Food Festival please complete an exhibitors form, available for download here - https://www.box.com/s/tdpnrfq82f18y8wgbqwk and return it with the appropriate fee to Barrow Borough Council, Town Hall, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 2LD. 

If you would like to discuss the event or stall space, please contact Mrs O Rigg, Festival Co-ordinator on 07588 491 170 or e mail woxexpress@aol.com.

New Barrow Foodbank collection point in Barrow town centre

The Neighbourhood Management office at 242/244 Dalton Rd is now a collection point for Barrow Foodbank.
Barrow Foodbank is about feeding local people in crisis and provides a minimum of 3 days emergency food and support to those across South-West Cumbria who are in crisis.

It is part of a national network of foodbanks, one of over 170 foodbanks providing emergency food to people in crisis nationwide.

Food items the Foodbank collects include ...
Milk (UHT or powdered)
Sugar (500g)
Fruit juice (carton)
Soup
Pasta sauces
Sponge pudding (tinned)
Tomatoes (tinned)
Cereals
Rice pudding (tinned)
Tea Bags/instant coffee
Instant mash potato
Rice/pasta
Tinned meat/fish
Tinned fruit
Jam
Biscuits or snack bars

To get involved with Barrow foodbank you should contact:
volunteer@barrowfoodbank.co.uk  fundraising@barrowfoodbank.co.uk 

 

or find out more at www.barrow.foodbank.org.uk

Barrow police team up with community partners to host Twitter ‘takeover’ day

Police in Barrow are teaming up with colleagues from emergency services and other partner agencies to launch a 24 hour ‘Twitter Takeover’ this weekend.

Throughout Saturday 27 October, representatives from Barrow police, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, the Ambulance Service, the Air Ambulance, NHS and Bay Search and Rescue will tweet about a selection of the call outs they deal with to give the community an insight into the work that goes on around the clock to keep them safe.

The event will run for 24 hours between 7am on Saturday 27 October and 7am on Sunday 28 October and will be used to engage with the community and distribute key safety advice.

A multiagency web chat will also take place where the local community can log on and direct questions to the team.

Cumbria Constabulary Inspector, Mike O’Hagan, who is in charge of the policing team in Barrow said “The whole aim of this event is to raise awareness of the diverse and complex role of the emergency services in Barrow.

“We hope to highlight the volume of emergency and non-emergency calls that we, and our partners deal with on a daily basis, to help keep local communities safe.

“Our Twitter account, @barrowpolice, now has over 2,900 followers and by publishing basic information about our activity over a 24 hour period, we hope to encourage more local people to log onto Twitter to see what work goes on around the clock.

“We will use the event to provide relevant crime prevention advice to communities and would encourage as many people as possible to log onto a web chat that will take place between 5pm and 7pm on Saturday where representatives from the Health service, Fire and Rescue and Police will be available to respond to any questions the public may have.

“This is the first time that we have done an event of this nature in Barrow and we hope that the local community supports us by following us on Twitter and take the opportunity to speak directly to local agencies via the web chat – without having to leave the comfort of their homes.”

Stuart Dolan, Barrow Station Manager for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, said “We’re always looking at new ways to engage with our local community and Twitter is becoming increasingly popular.

“Taking part in this ‘Twitter Takeover’ is a good way for us to give people a flavour of some of the incidents we attend and the type of work we get involved in.

"On Saturday morning the @barrowfire Twitter account will go live, and we will use this account to tweet out our messages and information. The aim is to get as many followers as possible so that our key safety messages can be seen and shared with all of the community.”

The agencies participating in the event will use #barrow999 as part of any Twitter posts during the period. To log onto the web chat, go to: www.cumbria.police.uk/barrow.

Save your life with twenty pence– check your tyres!

 October has been dedicated by Cumbria Police as Tyre Safety month and drivers will be urged to check their tyres to ensure they are safe and legal before the winter weather sets in.

Sadly, each year, dozens of people are killed and hundreds are seriously injured across the UK as a result of collisions caused by illegal, defective or under-inflated tyres.

By simply using a twenty pence piece, however, everyone can check the tread on their tyres and potentially prevent another tragedy.

Police officers will be out and about across the county to encourage people to check their tyres, and will be on the look out for motorists driving on illegal or dangerous tyres during stop-checks.

PC Shaun McKeown, a Forensic Vehicle Examiner with Cumbria Constabulary’s Collision Investigation Unit, said “Road safety is a priority for police in Cumbria and it only takes a few minutes to check tyres by using 20p and by doing so could prevent a tragedy.

“All too often in Cumbria we hear about people’s lives being ruined by serious road traffic collisions, and this is even more devastating when we investigate them and it becomes apparent that it was caused by something as avoidable as a defective tyre.

“We will be out and about conducting stop checks across Cumbria to educate drivers about the risks. Motorists found to be driving on illegal tyres face a maximum penalty of three points per tyre on their license and a fine of up to £2,500 per tyre.

“It’s such an easy thing to check, and we should all look at our tyres as a matter of routine, maybe when you’re washing the car or when checking the pressure of your tyres.

“We are really keen for parents to instil the importance of vehicle maintenance on their teenage children when they begin driving as well, and would ask people to spread the tyre safety message to family and friends. You never know – you might save a life.

“It is simple to check your tyre tread, you only have to insert a 20p in the trend and if you can see any of the rim around the edge then you need to be getting your tyres checked. We understand not everyone will be confident in checking them, or if you do the test and you’re not sure, visit your local garage as the vast majority will inspect your tyres for free.”

As part of the campaign officers will be also working with Trading Standards to check on the selling of part-worn tyres to unsuspecting members of the public.

PC McKeown continued “We are committed to checking every aspect of tyre safety and will be looking at local garages to make sure that the tyres which are being sold are fit for purpose. In these financially difficult times, it is understandable that people will look to save some money and buy a tyre which they believe is ok but at a cost price. We want to make sure that people are not putting their lives at risk.

“We have to deal with the horrific aftermath of collisions on a daily basis and defective or unsafe tyres can often be a contributing factor. We hope that this campaign will get people to stop and think about their vehicles, provide them with the information they need to check their own tyres and hopefully, when they go home they’ll take the time to examine their tyres which may save lives in the future.

“As the nights get darker and the weather wetter, I can guarantee there will be many more drivers who will lose control as a result of driving around on worn or damaged tyres – don’t let you or your loved one be one of them – check your tyres now.”

Top Tips for checking your tyres:

· Check your tyre pressure at least once a month.

· Tyre pressure should be checked against the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended level. This can be found in the vehicle handbook and on a plate which is often located inside the fuel filler flap or on the driver’s door sill.

· Check the pressure when tyres are cold (i.e. when you have travelled less than two miles).

· If you are carrying a full load of passengers or luggage or will be towing a trailer or caravan, tyre pressures should be increased in line with the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations. Details can be found in the handbook.

· Ensure a reliable and accurate pressure gauge is used.

· Check the pressure in all four tyres – and don’t forget to check the spare tyre as well.

· While checking pressures, give the rest of the tyre a visual inspection. Remove any stones and other objects embedded in the tread. Look out for any bulges, lumps or cuts.

· If you are unsure on any aspect of tyre pressure or tyre condition take your vehicle to an approved fitting centre and speak to the experts.

Cumbria police are working in connection with ‘Tyresafe’ a non–profit commercial organisation to raise as much awareness for the campaign as possible. www.tyresafe.org

Barrow Council's New Mobile Website

Barrow Borough Council has introduced a cut down, mobile version of their web site at www.barrowbc.gov.uk/mobile.
The initial version will allow you to view News, Events, and more importantly, report and request Refuse and Recycling issues on your Mobile Phone.

The following services are available:-
Report a Missed Black Bin
Report a Missed Brown Bin
Report a Missed Recycling Box
Report a Missed Recycling Bag
Report Dog Fouling
Report Fly Tipping
Report Graffiti
Report Vandalism

Request a New Black Bin
Request a New Brown Bin
Request a New Recycling Box (Paper)
Request a New Recycling Box (Glass, Cans)
Request a New Bin Bag (Plastic, Cardboard)
Request a New Recycling Bag
Request a Bulky Garden Waste Collection

Make a Refuse Collection Complaint
Ask a question about Refuse Collection
If the initial version of the site is successful we hope to add more information and services in the future.

Go to www.barrowbc.gov.uk/mobile in your mobile web browser.

It's 'A Good Week'

 

It's 'A Good Week' is a global celebration of good.

You can find out more at http://www.agoodweek.com/

It's Mental Health Awareness Week next week (21 - 28 May 2012)

During Mental Health Awareness Week, the Mental Health Foundation are working with people and organisations across the country to raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing issues.

The week forms the centre piece of a year-long campaign based around one particular theme that's relevant to everyone's mental health and wellbeing. Find our more at www.mentalhealth.org.uk