--- title: "Shocking Behaviour" type: "pdf" year: "2024" canonical: "/projects/367" --- # Herman Goldstein Submission 2024 # Table of Contents - [Herman Goldstein Submission 2024](#herman-goldstein-submission-2024) - [Shocking Behaviour](#shocking-behaviour) - [Submitted by Durham Constabulary](#submitted-by-durham-constabulary) - [Shocking Behaviour](#shocking-behaviour) - [Summary](#summary) - [Scanning:](#scanning) - [Analysis:](#analysis) - [Response:](#response) - [Assessment:](#assessment) - [Summary Word Count: 399](#summary-word-count-399) - [Description](#description) - [Scanning:](#scanning) - [Analysis:](#analysis) - [Response:](#response) - [Assessment:](#assessment) - [Appendix Two](#appendix-two) - [Appendix Three](#appendix-three) ## Shocking Behaviour ## Submitted by Durham Constabulary Name: PCSO Paul Gilroy Email: paul.gilroy@durham.police.uk Name: PCSO Daniel Winstanley Email: Daniel.winstanley@durham.police.uk # Shocking Behaviour ## Summary ## Scanning: During winter of 2021, a sharp rise in anti-social behaviour (ASB) was identified in Brandon, County Durham. 49 incidents were reported to Force Control Room within the vicinity of Brandon Community Hall, 13 specifically in relation to the defibrillator located on the outside of the building. Many more incidents were also reported via the Neighbourhood Policing team (NPT). This coincided with an increase in crime, community frustrations and demand on Police. 'Shocking Behaviour' was subsequently developed to examine why the Hall, in particular the defibrillator, was targeted by local youths, address the impact of not having access to the defibrillator and restore community confidence. ## Analysis: The NPT identified a lack of awareness around the vital piece of life saving equipment, its purpose and the potentially fatal implications of it being damaged. Using the problem analysis triangle, the team focused primarily on the identified suspects and offenders. Through discussion, they highlighted that, although defibrillators were appearing vastly in numbers within the community, there was very little to no information shared on what these magic little boxes actually were. ## Response: The NPT, working alongside the community and partners, implemented an innovative approach through the delivery of a diversionary programme to eradicate the root cause of the problem. This involved the development and delivery of educational and practical sessions to promote awareness of, and provide, basic CPR training to young people. Some also attended as part of Community Resolutions following incidents of ASB and criminal damage. ## Assessment: Our NPTs often observe young people outside socialising in various numbers and places. It is because of this that these young people could potentially be in the right place at the right time to access and retrieve a defibrillator in an emergency. There is no expectation on our young people to ever have to actually use a defibrillator or carry out CPR, however with their understanding and knowledge they certainly have the capability of utilising a defibrillator far quicker than the average person; potentially the difference between life and death. To date, 84 young people have completed the diversionary programme and awarded a certificate from partner organisation AQUA Leisure Safety \& Training Services. ASB at the Community Hall has also reduced by $100 \%$. Due to the success of this initiative, Durham Constabulary have rolled the programme out Forcewide, with 13 defibrillators purchased and installed at Durham Constabulary estate properties, alongside the delivery of preventative education within the community. ## Summary Word Count: 399 # Description ## Scanning: In recent years, there has been a significant increase in defibrillators becoming accessible to communities across County Durham, with more units being installed every week. The exact number of defibrillators is currently unknown as many are privately installed and not registered with the national network The Circuit. The Circuit is a defibrillator network which maps defibrillators across the UK, connecting them directly and automatically to each Ambulance service. Shocking Behaviour started with just one defibrillator. This defibrillator was located at the side entrance to the Community Hall in the heart of the village of Brandon in County Durham. The Community Hall serves the community of Brandon, an ex-mining village with a population of approximately 10,300 people. The defibrillator was installed in April 2019 and to date has been utilised 15 times, including use during two separate critical incidents. The cost of this and other defibrillators is approximately $£ 1,400$. Throughout the months of October 2021 to March 2022, a sudden surge in anti-social behaviour was identified in the village of Brandon, County Durham. 49 incidents of anti-social behaviour were reported to Force Control Room within the immediate vicinity of the village Community Hall, 13 specifically in relation to the defibrillator which was located on the outside of the building. There were also five reports of criminal damage at the location. Based on Home Office data, the 49 reports of anti-social behaviour cost $£ 1,719$, and the five reports of criminal damage $£ 750$, for Police to respond. Many more incidents were also reported via PCSO Paul Gilroy and PCSO Daniel Winstanley from the local Neighbourhood Policing team. This coincided with an increase in crime, community frustrations and an obvious increase in demand on Police. It was instantly apparent that the damage not only came at a cost to the Community Hall itself, but also became a significant problem within the community as local residents became deprived of access to vital lifesaving equipment. The current Chair of the Community Hall is Mr Tom Sharples, who, amongst many other roles, is also the President of the Rotary North East 'One Life Initiative'. The Rotary are one of the largest humanitarian service organisations with over 1.2 million members worldwide, each volunteering their time to serve their communities. The One Life Initiative is aimed at increasing the number and availability of community public access defibrillators (cPADs) in the North East. Tom is responsible for the provision and installation of over eighty defibrillators across the County Durham area and, of course, our enigma, the defibrillator at the Community Hall, Brandon. Shocking Behaviour was conceived to examine why the Hall was targeted by local youths, in particular the defibrillator, address the impact of not having access to the defibrillator and restore community confidence. It quickly became apparent that damage to community defibrillators was not isolated to the village of Brandon, but present in both the West and East of the County, and further afield. ## Analysis: Using the problem analysis triangle, the team considered and identified the victim, offender(s) and location; the victim being the Community Hall and the wider community of Brandon, the offender(s) being the young people engaging in the anti-social behaviour and criminal damage, and the location being the Community Hall itself and the surrounding residential houses and local businesses. In analysing the location, it was observed that the location had appropriate 'managers' in place. The location was overlooked by residential homes, with good street lighting and lighting from the Community Hall. As the photograph demonstrates, the location was also covered by CCTV. The presence of these factors did not prevent the location from being targeted. To assess the 'offenders', an analysis of reported incidents to the Force Control Room was conducted, along with crime reports for the location. Descriptions of offenders were reviewed, which showed that the offenders were local young people. To understand in more detail why the offences were occurring, the Neighbourhood Policing team met with partners, the community and Tom. Crucially they spoke to the young people of the village to ask 'why?'. Through this engagement, the Neighbourhood Policing team identified a lack of awareness of the vital piece of life saving equipment, its purpose and the potentially fatal implications of it being damaged. As a result, the Neighbourhood Policing team subsequently decided to focus primarily on the identified suspects and offenders. Through discussion, they highlighted that, although defibrillators were appearing vastly in numbers within the community, there was very little to no information shared on what these magic little green and yellow boxes actually were. This was particularly apparent when speaking to the young people involved in the incidents. The following questions were highlighted through the analysis stage and it became clear that they needed to be considered: - Do communities know what a defibrillator is? - Do communities know what a defibrillator is used for? - Do communities know how to access a defibrillator? - Do communities know where their nearest defibrillator is located? This triggered a new objective: to identify, to coordinate and to educate. # Response: Using info obtained in the scanning/analysis stages of SARA, a bespoke response plan was developed. The Neighbourhood Policing team, working alongside the community and partners, created a diversionary programme to eradicate the root cause of the problem. This innovative approach involved the development and delivery of an educational package supported with practical workshops to promote awareness of defibrillators, and provide, basic CPR training to young people. The Neighbourhood Policing team engaged with some of the hard-to-reach young people in the village and others, to recruit them onto the programme. They patrolled anti-social behaviour hotspots, parks, community groups and even visited young people at home to invite them to take part, some also attending as part of Community Resolutions following incidents of anti-social behaviour and criminal damage. The first workshop took place on Saturday $12^{\text {th }}$ February 2022. Initially, the target audience was secondary school-aged children, and specifically those involved in anti-social behaviour within the community. However, following only a few sessions, it quickly became apparent that children of all ages were keen to complete the workshop, some as young as nine years old. The decision to open the sessions up to any age was made in the hope that any, if not all, of the learning would be retained in later life. As far as the team are aware, this kind of initiative was the first of its kind, specifically aimed at young people in the community. The workshops last for one hour and are arranged to take place on a weekend when the majority of the anti-social behaviour/damage was originally occurring. They are facilitated by Tom who has volunteered his own time and therefore come at no financial cost to the organisation. At each session, the young people are educated in relation to what a defibrillator is, how it saves lives and how to physically use it. They are taught about the Circuit network of defibrillators and told about the real-life instances in which that particular defibrillator was used in their community to save lives. The Neighbourhood Policing team also attend and take part alongside the young people. This has helped to build the engagement between Police and the young people who had previously engaged in anti-social behaviour, now in a positive light. Prior to the start of each session, all those taking part were asked the initial analysis questions: - Do communities know what a defibrillator is? $57 \%$ said NO - Do communities know what a defibrillator is used for? $58 \%$ said NO - Do communities know how to access a defibrillator? $87 \%$ said NO - Do communities know where their nearest defibrillator is located? $68 \%$ said NO On $12^{\text {th }}$ April 2022, all of those who took part in the programme were invited back for a presentation, supported by MP Mary Foy and local news outlet The Northern Echo. The young people attended the event along with their parents and guardians and were presented with a certified award from AQUA Leisure Safety \& Training Services. This was followed by a second cohort presentation on $2^{\text {nd }}$ September 2022. # Assessment: To date, 84 young people have completed the diversionary programme and awarded a certificate from partner organisation AQUA Leisure Safety \& Training Services. One hundred percent of these young people can now say: - They know what a defibrillator is; - They know what a defibrillator is used for; - They know how to access a defibrillator; and - They know where their nearest defibrillator is located Reports of anti-social behaviour and criminal damage at the Community Hall have reduced by 100\%, from 49 reports of anti-social behaviour and five reports of criminal damage, to zero reports. Based on Home Office data, the 49 reports of anti-social behaviour cost $£ 1,719$ for Police to respond and the five reports of criminal damage $£ 750$. Therefore, this demand reduction also demonstrates a cost saving of $£ 2,469$ to the organisation. Qualitative assessment also evidences reduction in ASB at the Community Hall has positively impacted those who utilise the location. After a successful response plan was deployed, Durham Constabulary received the following email from a Scout Leader who hires the Hall - 'I'm a Beaver leader and I run a Beaver group on Wednesday night. We had a lot of anti-social behaviour at the hall, the same group of kids each week were getting up to no good, running in and out of the hall, shouting, banging on windows and even smashing a window. All of this was going on while I had a group of 6-8 year old kids, naturally they were all frightened. The police attended many times. In the hope of distracting the troublemakers, rather than discipline them, Durham Police along with Tom Sharples the chair of the hall committee decided to work with them. One of the things they did was defibrillator training each week at the hall as the defibrillator located at the hall was consistently targeted and damaged on several occasions. Since the kids took part in this almost 18 months ago there has been no trouble at the hall at all. Success!'. Prior to 'Shocking Behaviour' the local community was frustrated at Police due to the presence of anti-social behaviour in their village. This was reported locally to the Neighbourhood Policing team. However, following the implementation of the education sessions, which was supported by information in the local media and involved the Neighbourhood Policing team explaining their response to the community at local meetings and engagement opportunities, this has resulted in increased community satisfaction in Police. This has been reported locally to the Neighbourhood Policing team, specifically positive feedback from the community that the Police have listened and taken action to solve the problem. Through community networks, funding has since been donated to the Community Hall by a local business to support the programme which has allowed some of the young people free access to the Hall for activities of their choice. There is also potential for these workshops to be rolled out into the community as many parents and guardians have expressed an interest in attending themselves. Throughout our towns and villages, our Neighbourhood Policing teams often observe young people outside socialising in various numbers and places. It is because of this that these young people could potentially be in the right place at the right time to access and retrieve a defibrillator in an emergency. There is no expectation on our young people to ever have to actually use a defibrillator or carry out CPR, however with their understanding and knowledge they certainly have the capability of utilising a defibrillator far quicker than the average person; potentially the difference between life and death. The plan was never to simply respond to an issue, resolve it and move on; it was going back time and time again, exploring what more could be done, seeing what has changed and offering the support and advice to our young people which they might not have been getting at home. It was this part of the plan that became the real problem solving. Defibrillators are lifesaving equipment that could be damaged by antisocial behaviour in any area. Shocking Behaviour has been evidenced to be a successful initiative, the tactics of which could be deployed in any area experiencing this problem. Durham Constabulary are taking a preventative approach having discovered that 'Shocking Behaviour' works. $£ 9,300$ funding was secured from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) to purchase 13 new defibs. These defibs have been installed across the force area. Following installation, education packages will be delivered in partnership with Red Sky Charity, to children and young people in the surrounding areas, as a preventative initiative to ensure the defibs do not get targeted like they did prior to 'Shocking Behaviour'. Description Word Count: 2,110 #### Appendix One Images showing Brandon Community Hall and the defibrillator that was subjected to damage. ![img-0.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/durham_constabulary_shocking_behaviour_2024/img-0.jpeg) # Appendix Two Image showing a CCTV still of a youth damaging the defibrillator at Brandon Community Hall ![img-1.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/durham_constabulary_shocking_behaviour_2024/img-1.jpeg) # Appendix Three Images showing education sessions at Brandon Community Hall. ![img-2.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/durham_constabulary_shocking_behaviour_2024/img-2.jpeg)