News

 Dear Watch Member,

Many of you will have children or grandchildren returning to school this week, some of whom may be starting secondary school and using public transport to commute there and back.

Unfortunately, the start of a new school term can see an increase in robbery offences. There are, however, some things you can do to help reduce school-age family members’ risk of becoming a robbery victim and keep safe whilst using their phone. If you can, talk to them about where and how they use their phone using the following advice:

Safety when out and about:

• Keep your phone and valuables out of sight in a safe place when travelling to and from school. Be careful when you take your phone out.
• Bus stops, train stations and surrounding areas are common target areas for thieves, who can approach on foot, moped or on a pedal bike or e-scooter.
• Earphones can distract you, stopping you from seeing or hearing someone approach you from behind.
• Don’t confront a thief – it’s not worth risking your own safety for possessions that can be replaced.
• Robbery or attempted robbery are serious crimes and should be reported. It’s important you seek help straight away by dialing 999 rather than contacting police when you get home. Use a friend’s phone or the phone of a trusted adult. This gives us the best chance to catch the suspects, recover any stolen property and ensure your safety.
• If you have information about a robbery and do not want to report it to police, speak to Fearless 100% anonymously at www.fearless.org. Fearless is the youth service of independent charity Crimestoppers.
• Whether you have a phone or not, memorise or keep a parent/carer’s phone number in a separate place in your bag/zipped pocket in case of emergency.

For more information go to www.fearless.org/campaigns/robbery.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]

Dear Watch Member,

Illicit drugs are at the root of untold harm and misery across our society. More people die every year as a result of drug misuse in England and Wales than from all knife crime and road traffic accidents combined. Drugs also cause enormous harm to children and young people, impacting on their health and their ability to work and learn. The total cost to society and taxpayers in today’s prices is running close to £22 billion a year in England alone.

Even these shocking numbers cannot fully capture the scale of the human tragedy, with countless lives ruined and families devastated.

A new government white paper is proposing a new regime for how the criminal justice system deals with drug possession offences by so-called recreational or casual users, and changes to how drug testing on arrest works.

The government’s consultation on the proposals is open until 10^th  October, and the Home Office policy team have told us they are keen to get a wide range of responses. You are invited to find out about the proposals and give your views via the below online links.

The paper can be found at: ‘Swift, Certain, Tough: New Consequences for Drug Possession’ white paper – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Swift. Certain. Tough. New Consequences for drug possession white paper (homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk)

Please use the above links if you want to respond to this survey.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]