Agenda item

To receive a verbal presentation from Hertfordshire Constabulary.

Sergeant Stephen Oliphant, Hertfordshire Constabulary, thanked the Chair for the invitation to address the Committee and provided Members with a verbal presentation.

Audio Recording – 5 Minutes 18 Seconds

 

Sergeant Stephen Oliphant, Hertfordshire Constabulary, thanked the Chair for the invitation to address the Committee and provided Members with a verbal presentation.

 

Sergeant Oliphant provided the following Crime Statistics for the Baldock and District area:

 

Overall Reported Crime: this year (last year)

 

Baldock Town Ward – 452 (last year 484)

Baldock East Ward – 41 (last year 69)

Arbury Ward – 116 (last year 143)

Weston and Sandon – 76 (last year 83)

 

Criminal Damage:

 

Baldock Town Ward – 32 (last year 57)

Baldock East Ward – 7 (last year 13)

Arbury Ward – 10 (last year 12)

Weston and Sandon Ward 8 (last year 7)

 

Burglary:

 

Baldock Town Ward – 23 (last year 28)

Baldock East Ward – 1 (last year 12)

Arbury Ward – 14 (last year 18)

Weston and Sandon Ward – 7 (last year 24)

 

Drugs:

 

Baldock Town Ward – 13 (last year 16)

Baldock East Ward – 2 (0 last year)

Arbury Ward – 0 (8 last year)

Weston and Sandon Ward – 6 (3 last year)

 

Theft:

 

Baldock Town Ward – 64 (last year 65)

Baldock East Ward – 1 (last year 4)

Arbury Ward – 16 (last year 38)

Weston and Sandon Ward – 11 (last year 11)

 

Shop Theft:

 

Baldock Town Ward – 26 (last year 26)

Baldock East Ward – 0 (last year 1)

Arbury Ward – 1 (last year 3)

Weston and Sandon – 0 (last year 1)

 

Vehicle Crime:

 

Baldock Town Ward – 39 (last year 40)

Baldock East Ward – 4 (last year 8)

Arbury Ward – 20 (last year 22)

Weston and Sandon – 14 (last year 8)

 

ASB:

 

ASB figures were for the entire district. However, the trend was similar across the localities.

 

·                All ASB – 2314 this year – last year 2293

·                Environmental - 609 – last year 495

·                Nuisance - 1193 - last year 1258

·                Personal - 512 – last year – 540

 

Sergeant Oliphant advised that the Police Priorities for Baldock were to focus on Anti-Social Behaviour and Speeding. Sergeant Oliphant also informed Members that his team were working with housing providers and the District Council to tackle ASB.

 

Sergeant Oliphant advised that his team were working with other organisations to support vulnerable people.

 

Sergeant Oliphant advised that additional patrols had taken place in order to tackle Covid-19 breaches.

 

The following Members asked questions:

 

·                Councillor Michael Muir;

·                Councillor Jim McNally;

·                Councillor Michael Weeks;

·                Councillor Steve Jarvis; and

·                Councillor Tom Tyson.

 

In response to questions raised by Members, Sergeant Oliphant advised that:

 

·                In terms of crime statistics this year meant ‘01 / 04 /20 to today (15/03/21)’ and last year meant ‘01/04/19 to 31/03/20’;

·                The local police priorities were focusing on speed enforcement and ways to tackle speeding in the High Street;

·                The Police and Crime Commissioner had recently launched a DriveSafe initiative;

·                There were no recorded offences of supplying drugs. The figures related to direct possession of drugs;

·                Police resources were being directed towards drug possession and supply;

·                The priorities which had been set were focusing on drug related crime;

·                The team were dealing with a number of issues that crossed over into different areas of police;

·                The team were happy to receive ‘intelligence’ from Councillors;

·                Also intelligence received was reviewed;

·                The team worked closely with the Council’s enforcement officers in order to tackle fly-tipping;

·                In a lot of cases, the public reported fly-tipping to the Police. However, this needed to be dealt by the Council’s enforcement officers. The Police supported the enforcement officers in their work to ensure offenders were prosecuted;

·                There had been no reports of dog thefts over the last 6 months in North Hertfordshire;

·                Outcome rates were dictated by the Home Office;

 

The Outcome Rates were as follows:

 

·                Baldock 12% (LY 9.6%)

·                Arbury 6.7% (LY 12.2%)

·                Weston and Sandon  14.5% (LY 11.9%).

 

In response to questions raised relating to the Outcome Rates, Sergeant Oliphant advised:

 

·                That he was comfortable with how his team were responding to crime;

·                Victim Surveys were carried out in order to obtain a victim’s opinion on the service provided by the Police.