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Thornhill
Community Police Project
The ‘Thornhill Plus You' (formerly New Deal for the Community)
funded Thornhill Community Police Project came on line in
January 2004 with a dedicated team of 9 officers working for
the local people in Thornhill.
The
Thornhill Police Project, with its increased number of officers,
came about at the personal request of the Thornhill residents.
Thornhill Plus You backing and the commitment of Hampshire
Constabulary has made this possible.
The
Community Police Team are supported with Thornhill Plus You
funding to provide a Community Police Office with extra officers
that is located on Thornhill estate itself. The team are PC
Dale Dauglas - the longest serving team member for Thornhill,
PC Dave Jackson, PC Derek Hearn, PC Kate Frend, PC Rob Munro,
PC Mark Brown and PC Wendy Smith. Debbie Harris is our enquiry
officer at the Police office.
The
Thornhill Community Police Office has been open to the Community
since March 2004. The Office is Thornhill Plus You funded
and is exceptional because it is the only Community Police
facility of its kind in Hampshire. The office currently receives
over 160 public visitors per month and provides a unique service
to the local people. Rather than having to travel to a
Police Station several miles away the Thornhill Community
are able to refer their complaints and concerns a walking
distance away at their own Police Office.
The
Police Office is based within the Southampton City Council
Housing Office building at Tatwin Crescent and is served by
civilian Enquiry Officer, Debbie Harris. Their office opening
times are Mon-Fri between 9am & 5pm . Working from the
Community Police Office has helped in forging a close working
relationship with our council partners, including the Neighbourhood
Wardens, Tidy Team and Council staff, which means providing
the means to jointly deal with local issues and problems.
Through
the Crime Working Group the Thornhill community are able to
voice their concerns and perceived fears to focus the dedicated
Police team on issues that they consider a priority. Since
its conception, the Thornhill Police Team have been focused
dealing with local crime, drug misuse, anti social behaviour
and community issues in general such as youth nuisance. We
have executed a number of search warrants targeting drug dealers
that has produced positive results with several offenders
charged and brought before the court.
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Anti
Social Behaviour has long been identified
as a priority concern for the people of Thornhill. This is
defined as being, “any behaviour by a person which causes
or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to one
or more other persons not of the same household as the person
effecting the behaviour.” This can include nuisance behaviour
such as:
playing football directly outside of someone's home, causing
noise with the ball and shouting
large groups congregating in areas that local people need
to use such as shopping precincts, play parks, open areas,
communal residential spaces – this can be intimidating
& disturbing to families, older members of the community
or any other person put off or whose quality of life is
affected,
littering or fly tipping,
behaving in a threatening or insulting manner including
the use of obscene or abusive language,
causing damage to public areas including graffiti,
public drunkenness,
Skateboarders causing excessive noise,
Motor vehicle nuisance such as scooter riders, joy riders
racing up and down on and off road.
The
Police Team are using the powers provided under the Crime
& Disorder and the Anti-Social Behaviour Acts as a tool
against anti social behaviour to make Thornhill a better place
to live.
In
pursuance of the youth nuisance at Hinkler Parade shops the
Thornhill Police Team have obtained a S.30 Dispersal Authority
for Hinkler Parade. We are continuing to apply this authority
with dogmatic determination to eradicate youth problems associated
with the Parade. Following on from the successes at Hinkler
Parade, police attention has been focused upon the shop parade
at Warburton Road to deal with a rise in similar anti-social
behaviour. A dispersal authority took effect from 24th January
2006 and the police team will be continuing a zero tolerance
attitude to tackling complaints of this nature. If you have
been subjected to or know of someone that has suffered intimidation,
harassment, alarm or distress from acts of Anti social behaviour
then call us or let us know. All the information that you
give us goes to recording incidents that enables us to direct
resources to the problem.
The
estate of Thornhill has been subjected to a number of vehicle
crimes that have included theft of motor vehicles and theft
from motor vehicles involving damage and forced entry to steal
personal belongings. The Police understand feelings of public
apathy arising from their frustration of the repeated incidents
that the area has been victim to. We have responded to these
reports and with public support have achieved a number of
arrests. We strongly urge and encourage all victims of crime
to report all incidents and suspicious activity to the Police.
If we are unaware of a problem then we cannot react to it.
We are reliant upon the public reporting such matters as it
is from this that we are able to identify crime ‘Hotspots'
and to direct City Safety Team and Police patrols to these
trouble spots.
Avoid
leaving personal possessions and items of value on view within
your vehicles. Wherever possible place them out of sight to
remove them from temptation. Always park your vehicle in a
well lit area. Avoid leaving your vehicle in secluded, out
of the way sites where attackers have time and opportunity
to break in without risk of being disturbed. Every step that
you take reduces the risk of being the next target. Remember
to lock your vehicle and make use of a car alarm/immobiliser
device.
In
2006 the Thornhill Police team are looking to continue the
good relationships already established with its agency partners
and the people of Thornhill. Our aim is to reduce crime and
disorder to make Thornhill a better place to live and work.
The
Police team is conscious that in order to be successful, the
work they do is reliant upon the support and co-operation
of its community.

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