Witney News - Witney Neighbourhood Management Update - May

Witney Neighbourhood Management Update - May

Sgt Scott Evans brings May's update for the Witney area: "The neighbourhood team ran a high visibility operation to target and reduce incidents of criminal damage on the evening of the 20 April, by focusing resources at specific locations and reacting to calls as they came in. There were no offences reported during the period the operation ran and only three calls relating to our priorities that the team dealt with.

"Offences of criminal damage are one of the main problems in the Witney area and the team work to reduce offences as it ties in with our three NAG priorities.
The PCSO's are already paying dividends with a tobacco seizure on Smiths Estate and an alcohol seizure from an underage youth this month, I would expect we will see more of this as the visibility increases.

"The team was involved with the first of a series of litter blitzs in the Edington Square area on Saturday (28/4). This was a joint agency operation run with the NAG, West Oxfordshire District Council, the neighbourhood team, a team of helpers from 'Base 33' and volunteers from the community. The focus was around graffiti, litter and improving the environment. It is felt that if an area is kept clean and looked after that it tends to reduce crime and incidents and make residents feel safer (termed the signal crime perspective). We have two more blitzs planned for Smiths Estate on Saturday 12 May and Burwell Estate on Saturday 19 May between 10am and noon. If you can give your time to assist it would be much appreciated.

"The rollout of our PCSOs is continuing at Witney, with two PCSOs having completed their training and are now out and about on the streets. We have a further two being tutored at the moment, who will be independent patrol during the last week of May. We have one other PCSO currently in training and another due to start training in May. Their initial training course is five weeks, followed by a tutored period of four weeks, then a final week course, before becoming independent."

Profile of PCSO Elizabeth Swinney
"I am based at Witney station and will be working alongside the neighbourhood team to enable me to effectively engage with the local community and deal with any issues or concerns which may arise in the local area.

"I have previously spent my time working with children within both the educational and recreational environment, therefore I will be able to use my skills gained from my experiences with the youths in the Witney community. I hope to make an impact to the neighbourhoods of the Witney area, by actively patrolling my area on foot and being a highly visible and publicly accessible presence. I am looking forward to liaising and building up a rapport within the community."

Profile of NSO Duncan Johnson
"I have been a police officer for over 18 years and have been in Witney for the past 14. I previously served in Cowley including two and a half years as the neighbourhood bobby on Blackbird Leys. Most of my career has been in neighbourhood or community policing.
I have been a member of the Witney neighbourhood team since 1999 and hope to pass on my experience to help the new PCSOs in their quest to provide reassurance through high visibility patrols.

"I have lived in the town for the past 16 years and am married with two daughters."

Other Matters
"Witney Neighbourhood Action Group are in the process of planning a number of events, which includes the 'NAG birthday'. We have been running for just over 12 months now and it is time to conduct some public engagement again to ensure we are still working on your priorities:
Anti-social behaviour
Underage drinking
Damage

"We plan to do our engagement at the Witney Carnival in July so keep your eyes peeled for our mobile police station which will be there, along with the team and NAG members. Please do visit us and have your say so we keep working on the right priorities. We will also plan to take the mobile police station out to the villages around this time to engage with our rural communities. We will certainly be celebrating all the NAG has achieved to date and will be discussing exciting future activity. For further information please visit our web address, www.whosmybobby.co.uk. For further information about PCSO's and their role, or how to become one, why not visit www.thamesvalley.police.uk and look at Neighbourhood Policing and Police Community Support Officer sections."