IT HAS been more than a month since my last article as we say goodbye to the summer and welcome in autumn.
While some staff were able to spend time away with family and have had the ability to recharge, the large majority have remained working throughout the summer to maintain the front face of West Mercia Police.
With autumn, we see our focus shift from summer events and village fetes to the return of children to school and the start of a new year of learning and education which involves members of the Safer Neighbourhood Teams and designated specialist school resources visiting many of our educational establishments, offering safety and security advice, alongside safeguarding roles.
Key events and darker nights
We also see key events such as Halloween and Bonfire Night and whilst for many these are seen as fun times, for others, including our furry friends, they can be worrying and daunting.
My Safer Neighbourhood Teams are busy planning to ensure everyone feels and remains safe around these events, and that these are seen as fun times without attracting anti-social behaviour.
Visit westmercia.police.uk for more on anti-social behaviour.
We also see the change in clocks and darker evenings. Using timers for lights, drawing curtains, leaving radios/ TVs on when not at home in the evening and of course ensuring doors and windows are locked and keys not left on view, can all ensure we play our part in not making our premises appealing to would-be thieves.
We also support the installation of simple home CCTVs that can be viewed via phones and computers.
I would ask you to share these simple tips and reach out to those who live near you to support them in taking these small steps.
Again, visit westmercia.police.uk, speak to your Safer Neighbourhood Team or visit Neighbourhood Matters for more.
Rural Crime Week
Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention Rural Crime Week which ran from September 19 to 24.
As a large rural area, we do have crimes that specifically impact on our rural communities and businesses, such as farmers and growers.
These crimes can range from theft of trailers, quad bikes, or solar panels through to scaring of stock.
Through my dedicated Neighbourhood Crime Fighting Team, Safer Neighbourhood Teams, and my burglary squad, we have seen many arrests and recovery of stolen property, even locating some on other police areas.
It’s the joined-up working between my teams, intelligence units and cross-border work with our neighbouring forces that means, regardless of where the offences happen, we will actively pursue the offenders.
Through my Rural and Business Crime Officers (RABO) we offer a dedicated service supporting rural communities and businesses which have been victims of crime or want prevention advice.
SmartWater, distributed through my Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCO), is a free property marking scheme which provides a deterrent due to the capabilities of tracking and identifying property.
As the seasons change, so do we in our approach to ensuring you as the community, feel safe and crime free.
The autumn is a fabulous season, full of striking changes of colour in nature, and ripe fruits ready for harvest, but can also be daunting and scary for some.
Please be kind and caring to each other – it costs nothing but is worth a lot.
Supt Becky Love
South Worcestershire Police
