‘UNITED STREETS OF BIRMINGHAM’ 2 CAMPAIGN

BIRMINGHAM Community Safety Partnership and West Midlands Police are launching the second phase of the ‘United Streets of Birmingham’ campaign by running a fortnight of crime reduction and community reassurance activity across the greater Birmingham area, starting on Monday (22 October).

‘United Streets of Birmingham II’ (USB II) fortnight is supported by Birmingham City Council and the nine Birmingham police command units and will include initiatives in support of the force-wide Operation Serene, which focuses on anti-social behaviour, burglary and personal safety where it is linked to Halloween and Bonfire Night.

Officers, Specials and PCSOs will work with partner agencies and residents on various community safety activities, including environmental clean-ups, as well as police-led operations. As many staff as possible will take part in local activity to ensure a high-visibility presence across the city.

In addition to Monday’s launch, we will issue press releases over the next two weeks highlighting further photo / filming / recording opportunities for media.

Activity will include: high visibility patrols by police and local authority / environmental / youth wardens; speed enforcement checks; automatic number plate recognition operations; environmental clean-ups; robbery vehicle patrols; anti-social behaviour responder vehicle in action; licensing enforcement operations (alcohol and fireworks); active offender management; dispersal order enforcement; arrest days (warrants); lockdowns at transport hubs; active use of stop-and-search powers; ‘all out days’; Safer Travel Team operations on bus routes; school visits and more…

Inspector Paul Clarke, from Belgrave Road command unit in south Birmingham, where Monday’s launch takes place, said: “’United Streets of Birmingham’ is about continuing the positive results we’ve seen across the city recently. Crime has reduced year after year since 2002, and is currently at its lowest for decades.

“However, we can not afford to be complacent and we are committed to working together to keep our communities safe. We hope that by reminding our communities of the simple measures they can put in place in terms of personal safety and looking after their home and belongings, crime will remain at an all-time low."

Andy Tipper, Co-ordinator for Hall Green Local Delivery Group (again, where USB II fortnight launches on Monday), said: “We embrace ‘United Streets of Birmingham’, and the targeted USB ‘days’ and ‘weeks’; it provides another opportunity for the city council and its partner agencies to continue the good work already taking place in the city around community safety.

“Crime statistics for the city show great progress in a number of areas. Although crime has fallen, we recognise the importance of reducing fear of crime, of public reassurance and of public confidence in all local agencies.

“The new Home Office crime reduction strategy launched in the summer is by and large a continuation of existing approaches to community safety. These are being well implemented in Birmingham and West Midlands Police is among the leaders in the country on neighbourhood policing.”

Ian Coghill, Director of Environmental Services and Community Safety, added: “We all want to work together to make sure that Birmingham remains one of the safest places in the country to live. This campaign is about the community working with partners and each other to ensure that we can continue to be proud of where we live and our track record in terms of crime.“

USB II’ LAUNCH MON 22 OCT @  WOODBRIDGE RD POLICE STATION

PRESS INVITED TO SEE A NEW ROBBERY SURVEILLANCE VAN, ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ‘RESPONDER’ VEHICLE, ‘HEADCAMS’ OFFICERS AND MULTI-AGENCY PATROLS – at Woodbridge Rd Police Station

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

The year-long ‘United Streets of Birmingham’ campaign was launched this summer to encourage people who live and work in Birmingham to ‘unite’ with each other, the police and other agencies to take crime prevention measures.

The focus is on specific crimes such as robbery, burglary and vehicle crime and aims to give residents advice on how to keep themselves and their belongings safe.

Recent statistics for Birmingham show that crime is at it’s lowest since 2003/04.

Domestic burglary is down by 37 per cent, theft from motor vehicles is down by 23 per cent and personal robbery is down by 25 per cent.

As part of the campaign, adverts are being displayed across Birmingham throughout the year, targeting specific crimes such as mobile phone theft, burglary, cycle theft.

A website (unitedbirmigham.com) has also be launched which contains easy-to-follow crime prevention advice and the latest news on crime figures in Birmingham.

The adverts are also available to download from the site and a leaflet detailing simple crime prevention tips is also being distributed across homes in the city.

Of the eight major cities in the country (Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Birmingham and Bristol), Birmingham has lowest crime rate.  According to a report (Urban Crime Rankings) produced by think-tank ‘Reform’ in May 2006, Birmingham ranked as 12th safest out of 56 cities/authorities for their crime rates. Rural areas like Gloucester and Exeter fair far worse than we do as a city with a population of over one million.

CRIME IS FALLING

There have been 24,040 less victims of crime since April 2003-March 2004 meaning more than a 20per cent reduction with 140, 225 victims compared to 116,185 offences between April 2006-March 2007.

There have been 4,496 less homes burgled since April 2003-March 2004. That’s a huge 37per cent reduction in burglary! This is one of our major successes since April 2003 - March 2004 from 12,170 incidents to 7,674 last year (April 06-March07).

There were 2,985 less cars broken into between April 2006-March 2007, compared to April 03-March 04 when there were 13,949 thefts from cars, compared to 10,964. That’s over a 21per cent reduction and almost 3000 more cars, safer on the streets of Birmingham.

There have been 4831 fewer cars stolen since April 2003-March 2004. That’s more than a 49per cent reduction in motor vehicle theft. This crime type saw figures reduce from 9,811 to 4,980 last year. That’s almost 5000 more cars staying with their rightful owners.

Robbery is a crime type that concerns many people. There have been 1259 less victims of robbery since April 03-March 04 from 5,691 robberies compared to 4,432 last year. That’s a 21per cent reduction in robbery which can help in making us feel safer when we are out and about in Birmingham.