North Worcestershire Supt Mel Paley writes for the Standard.
IT WOULD not be right to start this month’s column anywhere other than reflecting on Remembrance Day, honouring the sacrifices made by so many brave men and women in order that future generations were able to live in peace.
Officers and staff attended local services with armed forces personnel, public services representatives, volunteers, Police Cadets, Scouts, Guides, Beavers, Rainbows and more.
It was lovely to see so many people from the local communities, coming together to support each other and remember.
The service I attended in Redditch was particularly touching – a prayer was said for the people of Ukraine. A wreath was laid at the Cenotaph by a lady from Ukraine and her young daughter who are now living in Redditch. The solidarity shown by all at the service was humbling.
Of course, policing across the county continues – last week the ‘Anti-Violence Bee’ toured North Worcestershire and West Mercia.
Visits were made to schools, boxing clubs and community centres, including Redditch town centre, the Woodrow Centre and Bromsgrove BirdBox.
Despite some heavy rain, the Anti-Violence Bee drew in the crowds and generated lots of conversation around how communities could unite to reduce violence.
My officers and staff have been working hard to prepare and deliver the national ‘Operation Sceptre’ – this coincides with the Bee Tour and involves a targeted approach to tackling and reducing knife crime and the devastation it causes.
Another key priority for West Mercia Police is tackling domestic abuse. This crime causes harm to both victims and families. Operation Bow is a force wide domestic abuse operation running in November and December.
Our work never stops but will be intensified to safeguard victims and pursue perpetrators of domestic abuse.
The Local Policing Community Charter is our commitment to provide a local policing service and is centred around prevention. We are working with communities to raise awareness of the harms associated with violence and to reduce crime. Prevention is at the heart of our work, through problem solving and building links with the communities we serve.
For more on this work, follow us on social media – Facebook, Twitter and of course Neighbourhood Matters.
Hopefully you are familiar with Neighbourhood Matters which I highlighted in my article last month.
We use this fantastic tool to share crime prevention information, advice, messages and much more.
You can sign up at neighbourhoodmatters.co.uk and receive timely relevant information which you choose to from your local Neighbourhood Team (the ‘opt out’ function allows you to choose topics or locations that are not of personal interest).
Take a look and spread the word.
We already have over 23,000 subscribing members – so don’t get left behind!
