--- title: "Rhyddings Community Safe Project" type: "pdf" year: "2004" canonical: "/projects/680" --- ![img-0.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/04-28/img-0.jpeg) # RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT # Table of Contents - [RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT](#rhyddings-community-safe-project) - [Endorsing Client Officer Mr Stephenson, QPM, Chief Constable](#endorsing-client-officer-mr-stephenson-qpm-chief-constable) - [RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT](#rhyddings-community-safe-project) - [SUMMARY](#summary) - [RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT PARTNERS](#rhyddings-community-safe-project-partners) - [PCSO 7068 ANDY BANKS](#pcso-7068-andy-banks) - [LANCASHIRE POLICE](#lancashire-police) - [RHYDDINGS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL](#rhyddings-county-high-school) - [HYNDBURN FIRST- LANPAC](#hyndburn-first-lanpac) - [RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT](#rhyddings-community-safe-project) - [THE PROBLEM](#the-problem) - [RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT](#rhyddings-community-safe-project) - [A CLOSER LOOK](#a-closer-look) - [RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT](#rhyddings-community-safe-project) - [RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT](#rhyddings-community-safe-project) - [RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT](#rhyddings-community-safe-project) - [DISTRIBUTION OF ALARMS](#distribution-of-alarms) - [RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT](#rhyddings-community-safe-project) - [THE RESULTS](#the-results) - [RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT](#rhyddings-community-safe-project) - [RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT](#rhyddings-community-safe-project) - [APPENDICES](#appendices) - [**Rhyddings - Crime Analysis**](#rhyddings-crime-analysis) - [Pupils key in tips on how to keep their mobiles safe](#pupils-key-in-tips-on-how-to-keep-their-mobiles-safe) - [Kids on message for phone safety](#kids-on-message-for-phone-safety) - [THE LANCASHIRE PARTNERSHIP AGAINST CRIME - COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVE PROJECT PROPOSAL](#the-lancashire-partnership-against-crime-community-safety-initiative-project-proposal) - [Identification of Problem:](#identification-of-problem) - [Details of project:](#details-of-project) - [Summary of Project Aims:](#summary-of-project-aims) - [Relevance of project to priorities of Division/Department Policing Plans:](#relevance-of-project-to-priorities-of-divisiondepartment-policing-plans) - [Relevance of project to local Community Safety Partnership identified priorities:](#relevance-of-project-to-local-community-safety-partnership-identified-priorities) - [Rhyddings Community Safe Project](#rhyddings-community-safe-project) - [Lancashire Constabulary](#lancashire-constabulary) - [Re: Lanpac Funding for Rhyddings High School](#re-lanpac-funding-for-rhyddings-high-school) - [Safety alarms given out in school scheme](#safety-alarms-given-out-in-school-scheme) - [The Tilley Award 2004 - RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT](#the-tilley-award-2004-rhyddings-community-safe-project) - [Chief Constable](#chief-constable) ## Endorsing Client Officer Mr Stephenson, QPM, Chief Constable PC 2903 Helen Tracey Finn Community Beat Manager Accrington Police Station Spring Gardens Accrington BB5 2BJ PC 2903 Helen Tracey Finn Ext: 01254353103 Fax: 01254353729 helen.finn@lancashire.pnn.police.uk # RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT ## SUMMARY Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire is a medium sized township and has one Community Beat Manager allocated to the area. Rhyddings High School, (1000 students) is centrally situated. The area surrounding the school is St Andrew's ward, highly populated by elderly residents; population 6000. Analysis depicted that juvenile nuisance was high in the area. Robberies and violent crime were on the increase. Intervention was necessary. Community Safety Partnerships current priority was victims of crime, in particular robberies. Public Reassurance, particularly those who were vulnerable was a 2003 Policing Objective. Within Hyndburn, 25\% of victims were 14-17 years of age and 15\% were 70 years and over. The intervention was therefore focussed towards these groups in the target area. Rhyddings Community Safe Project (RCSP) started as a partnership between the police and Rhyddings School. Analysis showed the motive for attacks on school children was the theft of mobile phones. 1000 mobile phone marking kits were distributed throughout the school to every student, each encouraged to take them home to benefit all members of their families. CBM attended school and gave 'Citizenship' classes, to encourage pupil/community involvement and understanding. Analysis had shown that both young and elderly were being targeted. The ideal was for them to work together to solve the problems. RCSP wanted to start a Neighbourhood Watch Group in the area, the officer and the school driving the progression and co-ordination for this. Over a period of months, the officer had identified that there was a level of intolerance between generations and this was the opportunity needed to get both groups working together for a common goal. RCSP secured Lanpac funding which together with police and School funding financed the purchase of 1000 Personal Safety Alarms. RCSP took on another partner Hope Community Centre. Young people from School and Hope identified vulnerable groups and set out to distribute the alarms, which were also made available to all the young people and their families. A media launch was held involving all partners. RCSP was implemented to reduce violent crime and to bridge the generation gap. With a greater understanding of one another, community complaints reduced by $55 \%$. The publicity and reassurance contributed to robbery offences stopping altogether. Assaults reduced as did juvenile nuisance (38\%). Residents visit days now occur in the school to keep the two groups in contact. Residents report an increase in confidence in the area. # RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT PARTNERS ## PCSO 7068 ANDY BANKS ## LANCASHIRE POLICE ## RHYDDINGS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL ## HYNDBURN FIRST- LANPAC HOPE COMMUNITY CENTRE FAMILIES OF THE SCHOOL CHILDREN CO-ORDINATORS WITHIN THE SCHOOL LOCAL BUSINESSES YOUTH WORKERS NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH # RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT ## THE PROBLEM Analysis of police logs at the beginning of 2003 for the St. Andrews Ward area of Oswaldtwistle depicted that there was an increase in violent crime involving school children. Rhyddings County High School is in the centre of St. Andrews ward in Oswaldtwistle. Rhyddings School is visited on every tour of duty by the Community Beat Manager and it became apparent that there was an increase in violent crime in and around the school. The police logs for the first four months of 2003 showed that there had been 13 incidents of assault and three of these involved theft of mobile phones. The 13 assaults were all committed on young people/students. More and more school children carry mobile phones. This can act as a safety device but can also make them a victim of theft. There was also an increase in violent crime against the elderly. The Community Beat Manager in Oswaldtwistle has had to deal with incidents of violent crime against the elderly and these crimes are unacceptable. Although these offences were few in number the potential for increase was high. Having said this the main concern by the elderly living in the area around the school was juvenile nuisance and criminal damage. The increase in violent crime relating to robberies was the original reason for implementing this project but another issue came to light when investigating the incidents. There was an extreme lack of tolerance between the young people and the elderly in the area. This was a great concern at the time. Solving community problems is always more achievable with cooperation from the community as a whole working as a group. # RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT ## A CLOSER LOOK As Community Beat Manager I had identified a problem in the area that was recognised as a countywide problem and was one of our priorities for target policing. As detailed in the Hyndburn Community Safety Audit 20\% of victims of violent crime are 1419 years of age. Furthermore $25 \%$ of victims of robbery are 14-17 years of age and $15 \%$ are 70 years and over. The school children were the younger victims in these figures and a considerable amount of the local residents came into the older people category shown in the figures. It was very important to make an analysis of the problem for both generations to benefit from my response. Having identified the victim I now needed to identify the offender. It became clear on talking to the pupils that although they knew or recognised the offenders on most occasions, the offenders were not pupils at the school. Some were excluded ex-pupils but others were older having left school. When I started to analyse the problems with juvenile nuisance and criminal damage it became apparent that most incidents were connected. Excluded pupils and ex pupils were hanging around outside before and after school, walking to the school with pupils or waiting for pupils to leave at the end of lessons. It appeared that the ex-pupils were causing the juvenile nuisance problems in the area around the school. The same names kept appearing on reports and these ex pupils became my targets. As well as targeting the main offenders I had to think of other ways to reduce their opportunities to commit crime and increase the risk of them being caught. # RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT WHAT WAS DONE As the problems were assessed and information was being gathered we responded to each incident as it occurred and it was dealt with appropriately. As I had identified the connection with violent crime and the thefts of mobile phones I had to discuss the implications of the young people carrying mobile phones with the school. School policy stated that all mobile phones had to be switched off during school time and kept out of sight in a school bag. The majority of pupils adhered to these rules and only used their mobiles outside school. The school had tried to enforce that no mobile phones should be brought into school. This idea was challenged by parents who stated that the mobile phone was a good thing for the young people to carry and they felt it contributed to their safety. The school had made the decision to back down and respect the parent's opinion on this issue. The young people were going to keep their mobile phones with them so we had to protect them. Hyndburn Community Safety Parnership provided the money to buy mobile phone marking kits. We distributed 1000 kits throughout the school. Every pupil in school was handed a kit and encouraged to take them home to benefit all members of their families. We got the media involved and told everyone that they could have a mobile phone marking kit if they needed one. The response was brilliant and members of the community came into school for the pupils to mark up their phones. The kits included UV pens to mark the phones, hologram security labels to stick on the phones and instructions how to record the IMEI number from the phone. The message was simple and straight forward saying that if a mobile phone was marked up there was no point in stealing it. It was hoped that this would prove to be a deterrent for our offenders. The police, Rhyddings School and Lanpac raised £3000 to buy Personal Safety Alarms. One thousand alarms were ordered with "Rhyddings Community Safe" printed on them and delivered to school. As a group we chose the alarm that we felt best fit the criteria for the initiative we were planning. We chose an alarm supplied with a key ring attachment or a ripcord, whichever the user preferred could be utilised. We chose a neutral colour that would be acceptable to all age groups and the alarm we finally decided on had an independent torch facility. The students at Rhyddings School had a massive input into these decisions and were very keen to get the initiative "up and running". Initially the alarms were distributed to the young people who had to walk to and from school often in the dark. They were then made available to any young people who wanted one. # RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT Hope Community Centre joined as a partner and the young people from the community centre together with the pupils from the school identified vulnerable people in the community and started to distribute the alarms. The students had another idea: when they visited with the alarms they took the UV pens with them and offered to mark the residents' property up. The students were encouraged to spend time with the residents when they visited and form positive relationships. On Friday $21^{\text {st }}$ November 2003 we organised a media launch at Rhyddings School and invited all our partners, members of the community, young people from Hope Community Centre, teachers and pupils to join in. At the meeting some of the elderly residents had discussions with the pupils and young people and got to know them a little better. The write up in the local paper invited anyone in the community to contact the school if they knew of anyone who would benefit from the alarms. Again the response was brilliant and the alarms were distributed throughout the community. (Please see distribution of alarms). By January 2004 there were only 50 alarms left at school. There will be more ordered soon. I worked very closely with the school to keep the targeted ex pupils away. Throughout the mobile phone campaign and the alarm initiative we were busy keeping them out of the area. In order to facilitate this the school prepared some letters with their solicitors banning our targets from school grounds and stating that if they were seen on school grounds they would be prosecuted for trespass. The offender's parents had to sign the agreements and be aware of their children's actions to date. Any criminal offences in the area of school were dealt with on a zero tolerance level. Arrests were made for criminal damage, offensive weapons, drugs, affray and public order offences. All offenders were left in no doubt that they are not welcome in our community and anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated. # RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT ## DISTRIBUTION OF ALARMS Distributed by students - 300 alarms Anchor Nursing Home Oswaldtwistle - 50 alarms Hyndburn Comets Netball Team - 50 alarms The Plough Pub Fielding Lane Oswaldtwistle - 50 alarms R. and P. Hargreaves - 50 alarms Bishops Electrical - 50 Alarms Hyndburn Athletics Club - 50 alarms Distributed by Hope Community Centre - 300 alarms Distributed by PC 2903 Finn - 50 alarms Approximately 50 alarms remaining at Rhyddings School. # RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT ## THE RESULTS When anything is introduced or launched at a school I always think you have a captive audience. A lesson was saved for every class to mark up their mobile phones in school time and a mobile phone marking kit was made available for every student. This ensured that every mobile phone in the school was marked. Of course there was the added bonus that every student was aware that it was pointless to steal a mobile phone that had been marked. This became common knowledge and I believe acted as a deterrent to the thieves. I encouraged the students to take the marking kits home and mark their families' phones and all the electrical items in their house with the UV pen. I had a meeting with a group of students and teachers after we had marked all the mobile phones and one of the students came up with the idea to visit the elderly in the community with the UV pens and mark up their property. It was at this meeting that we had the idea for the personal attack alarms. When I first suggested giving 1000 personal safety alarms to schoolchildren there was a "sharp intake of breath" in the community beat office. All sorts of issues came up and all my colleagues took great delight in thinking of possible scenarios. At the time I did worry about what might happen but I had already ordered the alarms and formed the partnership. I believed the positives gained from this initiative would outweigh the negatives. So far there has been one incident with an alarm which was very embarrassing. Two young people pulled the pin on an alarm and posted it through a neighbour's letterbox. The aggrieved was very annoyed and told me exactly what she thought of my alarms when the story appeared in the local papers. I approached several local businesses for funding and was very disappointed when I got no offers. I eventually went to Hyndburn First and submitted a bid for monies to Lanpac. This was successful and once the money was in place the alarms were ordered. My part in the initiative was minimal after I delivered the alarms to the school. Hope Community Centre came on board as a new partner when they expressed an interest in the alarms and suggested that they could help distribute them. They had different connections in the community and we saw an opportunity to make the initiative reach further. The students from Rhyddings and the young people from Hope Community Centre went "en masse" out into the community with a very positive and mature approach to the whole programme. I have received congratulations in the street from several residents, they have an alarm and feel part of the community but the main feedback is about the students. The understanding and tolerance is growing between the generations, they have a reason to speak to each other and young people are helping the residents to feel safer in their own homes. The young people have started to appreciate that the older generation can be very good company and have a lot to offer. Very often the residents who are visited know some ones' grandparents or have some connection to the family. # RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT One of the most disappointing issues with this initiative was the failure to start a neighbourhood watch group in the area. I have successfully started five groups in the Oswaldtwistle area and I am aware of the advantages for the community. This particular community needs to integrate the school and the NW group was the ideal opportunity. I have just made contact with two households that are interested in setting up the group and we are going to start again working with the school. With more people on side due to our successes I am hoping this time we can start the group successfully. An analysis of the police logs for the St Andrews' area of Oswaldtwistle for the four month period prior to the initiative and the four month period during the initiative gave the following results. | DATE 2003 | JUVENILE NUISNACE | CRIMINAL DAMAGE | COMMUNITY PROBLEMS | ROBBERY | ASSAULT | | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | | JAN - APRIL | 45 | 25 | 11 | 2 | 7 | | SEPT - DEC | 28 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 4 | | REDUCED BY | $38 \%$ | $36 \%$ | $55 \%$ | $100 \%$ | $43 \%$ | A further analysis showed that both the robberies in the above table were the theft of mobile phones from young people, one of which was near to the school. This project was implemented for two reasons, an increase in violent crime involving the young and the elderly and a lack of tolerance between the two generations. We can measure the success of the response to the first problem to a certain extent with the figures above and know that we have made a difference in the area. I think it is only correct to remember however that this amazing turn around was only possible because we built some very necessary bridges between the two age groups. The community has re-integrated and a new level of understanding and tolerance has been achieved. Students visit the residents and the elderly come into the school to join in with events. Rhyddings Community Safe Project is ongoing and could possibly be run indefinitely if it continues to work for the community. One of the very positive results with this project is that it is being sustained by the school and the community and police input has become minimal. # RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT ## APPENDICES Crime analysis Media launch for mobile marking kits The Lancashire partnership against crime - Community safety initiative project proposal Letter pledging $£ 1000$ from Rhyddings School Letter pledging $£ 1500$ from Lanpac Solon advert for defender personal alarms Media launch for personal safety alarms Letter of support from Hope Community Centre Letter of support from Rhyddings School Rhyddings Community Safe Project mentioned in Community Beat Newsletter # **Rhyddings - Crime Analysis** ![img-1.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/04-28/img-1.jpeg) # Pupils key in tips on how to keep their mobiles safe ![img-2.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/04-28/img-2.jpeg) **MONIC** then 1,000 pupils have been given advice and security kits from the police to prevent their mobile phones being stolen. The **Rhooldings County High School** students were targeted after the **Hynchburn Community Safety Partnership** provided cash to buy the kits. Pupils received a hologram sticker and ultra-stoiled pen to mark the property, as well as advice to make them more security conscious. Police Constable **Tracy Finn**, the best manager for **Oswaldwistle**, said: "Hopefully we will see a reduction in the level of mobile phone thefts in the near future." She is pictured here with student **Damien Williams**. From April 2001 to March 2002, the most recent figures available, there were 471 mobile phones stolen in Hynchburn. # Kids on message for phone safety **STAFF** and pupils at **Rhooldings High School** in Oswaldtwistle have joined forces with the police in a bid to reduce mobile phone thefts. The town's community best manager, **PC Tracey Finn**, has launched a mobile marking initiative at the school, with funding from the **Hynchburn Community Safety Partnership**. More than 1,000 marking kits—containing a hologram sticker and identification card—have been given to all pupils and every class teacher will keep an ultraviolet pen to mark other valuable property. Figures from the **Hynchburn Community Safety Partnership** show that a total of 471 mobile phones were reported stolen in the area between April 2001 and March 2002. PC Finn said she hoped the scheme would make pupils more security-conscious and act as a deterrent to emails on thieves. She said: "The main reason we are introducing the mobile phone kits is because of the number of phones that are stolen from school-age children. "They will enable them to personally mark their phones and then use the hologram stickers to warn potential thieves that the phone is marked and identifiable. "Hopefully we will see a reduction in the level of mobile phone thefts in the near future." PC Finn and the town's police community support officer **Andrew Banks** have been working with the school on a number of other initiatives, including repairing the school's **CCTV system**. Rhooldings is also a key member of a newly-established **Neighbourhood Watch** scheme in the area and it is jointly funding a scheme to provide attack alarms to vulnerable pupils and elderly members of the community. ![img-3.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/04-28/img-3.jpeg) # THE LANCASHIRE PARTNERSHIP AGAINST CRIME - COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVE PROJECT PROPOSAL | Project Manager: | PC 2903 Tracey Finn Community Beat Manager | | --- | --- | | Division/Department: | Eastern/ CBM | | Project Title: | Rhyddings Community Safe | | Total cost of Project: | £3000.00 | | Amount of funding required from LANPAC: | £1000.00 | | (Must not exceed £2,500) | | ## Identification of Problem: Raised levels of violent crime across the Division and a perception of high levels of violent crime in the Oswaldtwistle area. ## Details of project: Purchase and supply of electronic personal attack alarms to be made available to the pupils at Rhyddings County High School and the elderly population in the Rhyddings area of Oswaldtwistle. ## Summary of Project Aims: 1. Increase confidence of both the pupils and the elderly in the Rhyddings area of Oswaldtwistle. 2. Make life more difficult for the offender by reducing opportunity and increasing the risk of being caught. ## Relevance of project to priorities of Division/Department Policing Plans: Reducing violent crime is a core target and a priority not only for Eastern division but for Lancashire Constabulary as a whole. ## Relevance of project to local Community Safety Partnership identified priorities: As detailed in the Hyndburn Community Safety Audit 20% of the victims of violent crime are 14-19 years of age. 25% of victims of robbery are 14-17 years of age and 15% are 70 years and over. September 24th 2003 For the attention of the project manager, P.C. Tracey Finn. # Rhyddings Community Safe Project This letter is to confirm that the school pledges £1000 to the above project. The money is immediately available and has been saved for this purpose. We would also be willing to give publicity to the issuing of the alarms to members of the community and to the students in the school in order to alert members of the public to the benefits of the partnership scheme. Yours sincerely, Mr. B. Burke Headteacher # Lancashire Constabulary D. Mallaby, Divisional Commander, Eastern Divisional Headquarters Greenbank Business Park, Whitebirk Industrial Estate, Blackburn BB1 3HT Telephone 01254 353513 Fax 01254 353554 1st October 2003 Our Ref: SL (Finance) Your Ref: ![img-4.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/04-28/img-4.jpeg) PC Finn Accrington Police Station Dear Pc Finn, ## Re: Lanpac Funding for Rhyddings High School With reference to your funding for a personal safety project. I can confirm that £1500 is to be donated from the division's sponsorship account and £500 will be funded by Lanpac. If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me. Yours truly *Mandy Couch* Management Accountant AIMING TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY FEEL SAFE. INVOLVED AND REASSEATED # Safety alarms given out in school scheme A JOINT safety scheme has been launched by schoolchildren and police. Pupils at Rhodding High School in Oromilindale have seemed up with community best manager PC Tracey Finn and the Lancashire Partnership in a bid to boost safety and improve relationships between youngsters and the elderly. Under the scheme, which has been funded by EURt from the three partners, 1,000 personal alarms will be distributed to "at-risk" groups. These could include younger pupils at the school, those who have to walk long distances to get home at night and ![img-5.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/04-28/img-5.jpeg) elderly residents. Mr Andrew Davidson, assistant headmaster at Rhodding, said that the project would also be part of their plans to become a Business and Enterprise College. He said: "It is all about working within the community and we could eventually approach businesses in the area with this project. - They are not just attack alarms, they can be used for a variety of different things - for example, if an elderly person falls at home, then they could use it to get help." PC Finn, who is overseeing the project with PCSO Andy Banks, said the scheme was especially important as the area's Neighbourhood Watch Project had fallen through due to lack of interest. She said: "There seems to be the general feeling that young people don't have time for older folk, and that can cause a lot of problems between the two groups that we wanted to ![img-6.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/04-28/img-6.jpeg) PGLICE community best manager Tracey Finn with Jean Rutherford, Hilda Isherwood and 13-year-old Ami Fielding. AC-4835-02 address. "This scheme will let pupils go out into the community and give the alarms to anyone they think is vulnerable - it will encourage youngsters and older people to work together." Earlier this year, police launched a mobile phone-mor ing scheme at the school in a bid to reduce the number of thefts from youngsters. Anyone interested in getting involved with a Neighbourhood Watch Project in the Rhodding High School area should contact PC Finn or PCSO Banks on 20100. Paul R Stephenson QPM Chief Constable Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters POBox77 Hutton Preston PR4 5SB $22^{\text {nd }}$ March 2004 Crime and Policing Group The Home Office Queen Anne's Gate LONDON SW1H 9AT # The Tilley Award 2004 - RHYDDINGS COMMUNITY SAFE PROJECT I am delighted to personally endorse and forward the attached entry in respect of this year's Tilley Award. There has been an enthusiastic response from the force's divisions/departments in respect of the award this year., and many of our nominations will be used as case studies in the Constabulary's own Annual POP Conference which will take place in May this year. I look forward to hearing from you in due course. ## Chief Constable