Community safety initiatives

Key initiatives

Over the past few years, a number of key initiatives have been progressed through the Safer Woking Partnership. These are some examples.

  • The Safer Woking Partnership has put funding towards improving the provision of substance misuse services.

  • In December 2006, a drug-related litter training session was run by Surrey DAAT and the PCT. This addressed the issue of drugs paraphernalia, identification and the safe disposal of these items to a group of staff and contractors from Woking Borough Council and Surrey Police.

  • Funding was provided to purchase a car to be used to tackle theft of and from vehicles, particularly satellite navigation equipment, by way of `Stinger' operations. The Police are able to deploy this wherever hotspots are identified.

  • A successful Safer Woking event took place over two days in August 2007 to raise awareness of crime prevention and provided other advice and information from partner agencies to the public. The Partnership was also represented at the Town Centre Uncovered and the Woking Mela in July 2007.

  • The Partnership funds a Domestic Abuse outreach service in Woking which is provided by Your Sanctuary.

  • Each year, there is a Domestic Abuse Awareness Week in Surrey. In October 2010, there was a range of awareness raising initiatives including displays in libraries, shopping centres and at Woking Train Station, and press coverage with the local media as well as internal communications within each of the partner agencies. Last year, it is estimated that we distributed 4,000 pens and leaflets during the week. Following the awareness week, there is usually an increase in the number of calls to the helpline.

  • Funding has been given to Crimestoppers to carry out awareness campaigns on reporting crimes and bicycle theft.

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Communications activities

Over the last year, a number of articles and press releases have been issued covering the following topics.

  • Top tips for partying safely.
  • Awareness of domestic abuse.

  • Looking after Christmas presents.

  • Breaking the cycle of bike crime.

  • Being in the know about your neighbourhood.

  • Safe biking and skating at Woking Park.

  • New CCTV cameras

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Other important activities

  • Surrey Police, Woking Borough Council and Surrey County Council Trading Standards are working together on a project to reduce distraction burglaries, rogue trading and unwanted nuisance door to door sales calls in the Borough. Residents of Maybury were invited to participate in a "No Cold Calling Zone" scheme. This was launched in August 2007. Anecdotally, Police are receiving reports that companies are being turned away from residents' doors in this area.

  • Monthly multi-agency problem solving groups look at problem individuals (Community Incident Action Group, CIAG) and problem locations (Joint Action Group, JAG). Through the JAG and CIAG meetings a range of intervention work regarding anti-social behaviour is undertaken. This includes early interventions such as negotiating Anti-Social Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) through to legal enforcement such Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs).

  • In line with the Prolific and other Priority Offenders Strategy, there are now monthly management panel meetings where actions are agreed and cases monitored and reviewed to reduce re-offending by prolific offenders. It is estimated that out of a million active offenders in the UK, 100,000 offenders have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime. In March 2004, the Government announced an end-to-end strategy to address this group of offenders. There is now a North West team based in Woking tackling Priority and Prolific Offenders (PPOs) and leading on ASBO (Anti Social Behaviour Order) case building.