National Community Safety Network Conference

Karen Wenzel – Alcohol Outreach Practitioner, Westminster Drug Project

A/Sgt Paul Austin - Essex Police

Rachel Kearn – Community Safety Officer, Chelmsford City Council

Chelmsford – a snap shot

• Vibrant night time economy• Licensing capacity of 15,000, often reached on

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights• Large catchment area• Large student population, Anglia Ruskin University –

8,500• Busy train station with a direct link to London and bus

terminus serving the whole of the county• Pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants• Leisure, retail, theatres, cinema and festivals• Significant future development and public realm changes

Map of Chelmsford

Chelmsford – Crime Overview

• A safe place to live, work and visit• 94% of respondents feel safe outside in Chelmsford

during the day• 71% of respondents feel safe outside in Chelmsford after

dark• Majority of crime and disorder generated by the night

time economy (40% of division’s recorded crime)• Identified pockets of anti-social behaviour by youths or

street drinkers• Domestic abuse - alcohol has been a contributing factor

to a third of all DA incidents

Chelmsford – Alcohol Impact Overview

• Highest percentage of adults in Essex whose health is “increasingly at risk” due to excessive alcohol consumption

• 2nd highest in Essex for binge drinking – 21.3% of adults self report this pattern of alcohol use

Safer Chelmsford Partnership’s Key Priorities

• Reducing violent crime • Tackling anti social behaviour• Protecting vulnerable people• Reducing acquisitive crime

Public Health Priorities

• Tackling binge drinking• Reduce consumption of those increasingly at risk

Challenges

• Street drinking and the associated crime and ASB• Binge drinking culture• Irresponsible drinks promotions• Large student population• Popular Wednesday student nights • Increase in violent crime• 63% of crimes committed are by people from out

of Chelmsford

The Response

• The policing response to the night time economy – Operation Nightsafe

• Aim – ‘to reduce crime and provide a safe environment for the public to enjoy the night time economy’

• Zones• Early intervention• Dispersal • Positive policing response • Prevention advice and reassurance

• Nights of Action – A Safer Chelmsford Partnership initiative providing a high visibility multi agency approach to tackle crime and ASB associated with the NTE

• Held at key times of the year• Coordinated emergency services and community safety

response • Ambulance triage facility – fewer ambulances called

making a significant saving to the public purse (£300 each time an ambulance is called to transport someone to hospital)

• Accredited patrols• Each night has a main focus – personal safety, domestic

abuse, mobile phone theft, sensible drinking

• Intelligence Gathering – Licensing

• Reinforce Key Messages

• Licensing Visits

• Briefings with Pubwatch Committee – Brief key issues of the evening

• Partnership working

Alcohol Outreach Project

• Baroness Newlove funding

• One of the ten areas in the country to achieve the funding

• The Alcohol Fund is a £1m project to help communities across England tackle alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour.

inside out : team alcohol

The Outreach Project offers a free and confidential service to:

• Dependant drinkers

• Non dependant drinkers

• Binge drinkers

• Pre-detox or post-detox or rehab

• Hazardous and harmful drinkers

How is it different? • Outreach• Assessments• Brief Intervention• Advice• Education and harm minimisation advice• 1:1 Key Working• Referral to group work• Supported detox/rehab applications• Continued support for clients released from prison

What happens? Arrest Referral

• Police custody suites• Magistrates courts• Crown courts• Brief interventions• Liaison with Court Probation

Officers

Prisons

• Assessment• 1-1 Key Working• Referral to group work• Supported rehab applications• Coordinate support on release• Tracking individuals who transfer

within the prison system• Can accept referrals from other

establishments country wide• Supported rehab applications• Appointments offered for release

Case Study Miss G came to the Project via a Conditional Caution following an arrest for shop-theft (alcohol). Miss G was instructed to engage for a period of three months in order to comply with her requirement otherwise the caution would be reconsidered and she could be charged.

After completing a full assessment and attending regular key work appointments a connection gradually emerged between her alcohol use and her eating disorders. Essentially, when Miss G eats more she drinks less.

This has remained the focus of subsequent key work sessions and every couple of weeks the appointment is held in a local café where Miss G is given encouragement and support around healthier eating habits.

Intelligence Led Enforcement

• Essex Police data• CCTV data• Partners – WDP, Essex Probation (IOM) and

Family Solutions (Troubled Families)• Essex Insight• Ambulance data• A&E data• Street Pastors data

Key Facts

• Leading the way – UK’s first and only designated International Safe Community

• Purple Flag Accreditation • Showcasing – Taiwan, LGA and Westminster

Briefing• Education delivered to 3,322 participants• Bluetooth to your mobile (194 accepted in one night

at Evoke)• Safety literature and Taxi App