Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone and Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet have been hearing about the work being done by local police officers, PCSOs and various community partners to help tackle crime in Daventry.
Danielle and Ivan visited Daventry Police Station yesterday morning (August 22) and while there were told about the successful first year of Operation Fragment, which is seeing local organisations work together to reduce levels of crime and anti-social behaviour in the Southbrook estate.
They were then shown around the town centre by officers and PCSOs, including PCSO Kirsten Bates and Town Ranger Charlotte Jones. Here they had the opportunity to meet with retailers to discuss the issues they are facing such as retail crime and anti-social behaviour. This included a visit to a commercial premises that had been a victim of shoplifting earlier that day, an incident which police are investigating.
Danielle Stone said: “Daventry is a lovely area to go shopping, and so it was sad to hear that some businesses have had problems with retail crime, with one we spoke to as recently as earlier that morning.
“What was really encouraging though was that the local policing team are very passionate, and they know a lot about the issues that Daventry faces and are working hard to keep people safe.
“It’s been important to visit places like Daventry. Generally, I think people do feel safe here, but we are on a mission to improve things even further. The Public Safety Plan that I am putting together needs to reflect what people are telling us – and that is that they appreciate public, visible policing, and that we look after our young people.”
For Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet, the success of Operation Fragment in the Southbrook estate and the reduction in anti-social behaviour is something to be proud of, but he is keen for the momentum to continue and to bring the learnings into other areas of the town and across the county.
Ivan said: “It’s been great to hear first hand the hard work that has happened from our police officers, and a whole host of other partners, to improve the Southbrook estate in terms of lower anti-social behaviour and making the environment better – and this is helping to give people a sense of pride in the area they live in. It’s important we carry that momentum on and look at what else we can do.
“However dedicated our police officers and PCSOs are, we cannot solve issues in our communities and town centres on our own, and so it’s initiatives like I’ve seen in Daventry today where various partners are working together to make a positive difference. The challenge now is to keep that sustainable over the longer term and continue to build on it.”
Danielle and Ivan were joined on the walkabout by Deborah Jewell, who is the Chief Officer of Daventry Town Council, and explained how the authority has been working closely with partners including the police.
She added: “It’s been great to demonstrate to the Commissioner and the Chief Constable the partnership working and the success it has had in Daventry, both in terms of community engagement but also in making our communities safer for the benefit of our residents.”
