Agenda item

Inspector Nigel Colston presented the Community Safety Report and providing an explanation on the makeup of the Neighbourhood policing team and the way forward to tackle drug misuse across the NP areas.

a.      With resource finalised the report detailed the names of the Officers allocated to work within each Wards under the heading ‘The South Central Team’.

b.      Drug misuse main driver for change.  They had implemented a scheme titled ‘Operation Baseline’ with the intention of driving forward partnership working with key stakeholders to manage the situation.

c.      The service recognised the devastating impact drug misuse had on all members of a family and particularly children.

d.      The scheme/programme had 5 strands:

                              i.          Restricting the use of local roads by drug dealers – cars stopped and searched.  To date this had resulted in the discovery of offences related to drug misuse; uninsured drivers; disqualified drivers.

·   NP members welcome to observe the Police action

                             ii.          Drug Dealing from private houses – identifying these houses and monitoring frequent visitors and the consequential anti-social behaviour.

                           iii.          Street Dealing – identifying why certain areas have a  endemic problem and to concentrate policing on these areas to root out the source

                           iv.          Cannabis Growing – often used by loan sharks and criminal gangs as a way to manage debts owed to them by encouraging people to grow cannabis.  Growing cannabis seen as a low risk activity  because the charges given by the court  viewed as minimal should the perpetrator be caught.  Raids on suspects now involved representative from partners agencies such as property landlords so that evidence, that would normally be embargoed can be witness at the time by the appropriate responsible authorities and steps taken in good time to penalise any other breach immediately.

                             v.          Local Drug Forum – re-establishing this forum to allow local residents, partner agencies and Councillors to share information.

e.      Paul Bannerman, Senior Housing Manager for Bristol City Council, had agreed to work with the policing team.  It was noted that the impact of criminal activity of cannabis growing was strongest when the perpetrators home was at risk.  The Police worked within the legal restriction in respect of sharing information during a criminal prosecution but this could be overcome when housing officers witness the outcomes of a police action.  With the right partners present that organisation can take the appropriate action in respect of the criminal activity.

f.       Councillors were concerned that the loss of goodwill of residents would be hard to restore.  Residents had previously shared intelligence and they felt that the police had failed to act on.  Often intelligence share at the informant’s own personal risk.

g.      Concerns raised about the resurgences of drug dealing in day time in front of Tesco store on Oxford Street.

h.      Members were assured that the new team would be dedicated to stamping out such activity.

i.       A request was made for information on the impact of drugs misuse on families and the work undertaken with troubled families.

j.       All were advised of the move to place Jane Griffiths, BCC Early Help professional and BCC Housing Officers in local neighbourhood policing team at Broadbury Road Police Station. 

k.      There was a need to identify children who were at risk at the earliest opportunity.  In addition work continued with schools because there is an awareness that intelligence on the impact of drug misuse was seen from pupil behaviour.  There are a number dedicated PCSO working with Secondary Schools.

l.       It was acknowledged that insufficient work had been done to extract from community Social Workers intelligence on families in the area.

m.    Councillors requested that the community crime report included successes and/or achievements particular resulting from intelligence shared.

n.      Inspector Colston invited Councillors to share intelligence with him directly, in the interim.  He would in turn forward the information to the relevant officer for action.  An interim step to support the re-building of community confidence.  Action: Andrew McLean to share contact email, on request only, for this purpose.