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With the summer holidays now in full swing, there’s a huge amount of work taking place across our police force area helping keep our communities safe while providing positive opportunities for young people.
You may already know about Operation Coastwatch? Well it’s back in action again this summer, helping to protect our coastline and crackdown on anti-social behaviour. This year that same partnership approach is being rolled out in Newcastle city centre too, with the launch of Operation Toonwatch. Working with partners, Toonwatch will see increased patrols and targeted activity to help keep the city centre safe and welcoming, alongside work to engage with young people and steer them away from crime and anti-social behaviour.
I’ll be joining patrols myself in the coming weeks to see this work in action, and I am also looking forward to visiting several projects that we have funded through my Commissioner’s Community Fund to see first-hand the activities on offer to keep young people busy and entertained in the holidays. Investing in our young people and giving them positive opportunities is one of the best ways we can help deliver safer streets and stronger communities.
Enjoy the rest of the summer, and thanks to everyone working to make it a safe and enjoyable one for others.
Best wishes,
Susan Dungworth
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner
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Priority 1:
Engaged and responsive police force
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Your Voice CountsA recent drop-in session with Boldon charity Your Voice Counts provided a great opportunity for me to have valuable conversations to help inform my Police and Crime Plan refresh – making sure we’re doing all we can to ensure that Northumbria is an inclusive, supportive place to live. Your Voice Counts supports neurodiverse adults and those learning disabilities aged 18 and over, and people join these sessions to get involved with activities, connect with others and also access advice and support. I met a great bunch of people and learned about some brilliant support provisions that are having a positive impact on their lives. People also opened up about some of the challenges they face too – speaking up for what they want and need to feel safer. The conversations I have all feed in to my Police & Crime Plan refresh – have your say by clicking here to complete a short survey about what matters to you where you live: https://northumbria-pcc.gov.uk/commissioners-community... |
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Priority 2:
Crime and antisocial behaviour
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Tackling ASB from the skies
Earlier this year I shared investment plans to deliver improvements and services that matter most to our communities. One area was enhancing the Force’s ability to tackle motorcycle‑related ASB and neighbourhood drug crime through drone capability.
At a scrutiny meeting this month I asked for an update on this work and am pleased to share the following:
· Northumbria Police has made 363 drone deployments so far this year
· Drones are being deployed as part of Operation Capio, and Operation Impact to target motorcycle ASB across all area commands
· Drones are also being used to support the Operation Dragoon team in taking proactive action against riders helping inform our tactical units and directing action.
A great example of this work in action was in Northumberland where drones tracked a driver who took the vehicle to a storage unit, this evidence supported a Warrant application which resulted in the seizure of several illegal bikes which had been stored there by a local organised crime group.
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Priority 3:
Serious violence and organised crime
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Op Sentinel delivers significant success
Protecting our communities from Serious and Organised Crime is a key priority in my plan for safer streets and stronger communities. Alongside fellow Police and Crime Commissioners across the North East, I'm proud to support and joint fund the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU), helping drive Operation Sentinel's work to target organised criminals and safeguard vulnerable people. Through Operation Sentinel, NEROCU works with Cleveland Police, Durham Constabulary and Northumbria Police to disrupt criminal networks, bring offenders to justice and protect those most at risk of harm.
In the last year alone, Operation Sentinel has delivered significant results:
· 1,388 years of prison sentences handed down
· £13.2 million seized from criminals
· 1,057kg of drugs recovered
· 218 weapons seized
· 320 children safeguarded
These results show the value of strong partnership working between NEROCU, our police forces and PCCs, and I'd like to thank everyone involved for their continued efforts to prevent harm, protect communities and bring offenders to justice.
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Priority 4:
Violence against women and girls
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Support and stability for survivorsI'm really pleased my Supporting Victims Programme is helping homeless charity Emmaus North East deliver vital domestic abuse support. Recognising how the trauma of domestic abuse can make it difficult for individuals to secure stable housing and maintain employment, Emmaus North East, not only provides a safe, secure and welcoming places to stay, it is now offering a new referral and sign-posting service. I’ve seen first-hand the transformative impact Emmaus is having in South Tyneside, providing more so much more than a roof over someone’s head. Funding is being used to help ensure people can access specialist advice, emotional support, safety planning and advocacy when they need it most. By bringing together housing and domestic abuse support, Emmaus is helping some of the most vulnerable people in our communities find safety, stability and hope for the future. Read more: PCC investment helps homeless charity deliver vital domestic abuse support - Northumbria PCC.
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Priority 5:
Hate crime and community cohesion
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Ensuring all communities have the confidence to come forwardThis week my latest Commissioner’s Community Catch Up engagement work brought together faith and cultural representatives from across our region to discuss how we can build stronger, safer and more inclusive communities. The response was fantastic, showing just how committed people are to tackling prejudice, strengthening community cohesion and supporting one another. A key message I took away was the need to improve awareness and reporting of hate crime. Too many people are still unsure what constitutes a hate crime and hate speech and how to make a report, or where to find support. As we refresh the Police and Crime Plan, ensuring all communities have the confidence to come forward will be a real priority. Thank you to The Dialogue Society, our community representatives and Northumbria Police colleagues for contributing to such valuable discussions about how we can all work together for safer streets and stronger communities. Read more Interfaith and cultural representatives urge PCC to help promote better understanding of hate crime reporting - Northumbria PCC
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Priority 6:
Victims and justice
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Breaking the cycle of reoffending
And finally, a great bit of news to end on – Northumbria has secured one of the country’s new Intensive Supervision Courts for women – a pilot designed to help those caught in a cycle of reoffending.
It will help:
· Tackle the root causes of offending, including trauma, addiction and poor mental health.
· Reduce reoffending and creating fewer victims.
· Support women to turn their lives around to benefit them and their families
· Invest in prevention and rehabilitation to build safer communities.
This work is about breaking the cycle of offending, protecting our communities and delivering better outcomes for women, children and victims across Northumbria.
Thanks to all partners involved in making this happen, I look forward to seeing this get up and running.
Read more: Northumbria chosen for pilot to help women caught in a cycle of re-offending - Northumbria PCC
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