The latest Study Tour by Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Danielle Stone has brought residents and local organisations together to try and solve issues affecting Eastfield in Northampton.
The visit was the second Study Tour to take place, and sees the Commissioner join forces with other local agencies to visit areas that suffer from consistently high levels of acquisitive crime – such as robbery, burglary, shoplifting and theft.
During the walkabout, the Commissioner and crime reduction specialists from her office spoke with people from Eastfield Residents’ Association, Broadmead Community Church and Friends of Eastfield Park.
Also taking part in the Study Tour, and helping to discuss potential solutions, were Neighbourhood Police Officers, ward councillors and officers from West Northamptonshire Council and Northampton Town Council, Northampton Partnership Homes (NPH) and the Probation Service.
The Commissioner also spoke to retailers, including the owner of a convenience store on Broadmead Avenue who reported a growing trend in shoplifting and threatening behaviour towards his staff – all of which was impacting financially on the store as well as affecting how safe they felt.
The issue of drug dealing in Eastfield Park, as well as the amount of fly-tipping in the surrounding areas, was also highlighted.
Reflecting on the visit, Danielle Stone said: “I want to make sure everyone feels as safe as they can in the area where they live, and part of achieving that is to make sure Police are continuing to engage with the communities they are serving.
“We are absolutely committed to listening and learning from residents, and working with them to identify what actions we can take to improve their quality of life.
“It was sad to listen to the shop owner and his experiences of retail crime, and the residents clearly have concerns about fly-tipping and drug use across the estate, as well as the lack of services for young people.
“The Study Tour has helped to bring together all the organisations that can do something about it, and it’s important that there is a multi-agency approach to helping provide those solutions – now we need to deliver them.”
Ideas that will now be explored include multi-agency action days, regular litter picks and fly-tipping clean-ups – with which the Commissioner’s Immediate Justice scheme can assist – additional signage to discourage fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour, and the potential distribution of crime prevention packs to help deter burglars.
Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Rodney Williams (pictured below) said: “We know people in Eastfield are passionate about making it the best it can be, so it’s important that they feel heard when it comes to how we deal with problems they have highlighted.
“Positive partnership working is absolutely vital, and we will take away everything we have heard and do everything we can to ensure they have confidence in local policing and to deliver some of the positive changes that need to take place.”
The participation of residents is key when it comes to bringing forward solutions and will play a key part of all future Study Tours.
Sammie Wakefield, Secretary of Eastfield Residents’ Association, (pictured below) said: “I think the visit has been amazing and it’s been a great opportunity to network and to hear from people across the Eastfield community.
“Residents want to feel confident that they are being listened to, but they also want to see action, so I think it’s been beneficial for the Commissioner to come and see the estate. I’m looking forward to seeing how we can all work together as a bigger group to move things forward.”
