Police Activity Newsletter - Issue 13

POLICE, CRIME & ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR UPDATE 13th - 27th October CRIME OVERVIEW Over the last two weeks there have been 190 crimes reported; 54 crimes less than the previous period. Theft, public order and violence offences have reduced, however cycle theft offences remain at a high level. A male suspect was detained by PCSO Matt Cawsey on 21st October, having been identified as being responsible for a number of theft offences in a shop on Queen Charlotte Street. The suspect admitted 19 separate theft offences to an estimated value of several

hundred pounds. He was arrested and remanded in custody to court where he was sentenced the following day. He had been

stealing from the shop for several months but had been previously unidentified prior to PCSO Cawsey detaining him.

POLICING THROUGH HALLOWEEN Halloween is just around the corner and is an exciting seasonal holiday for many. However, for some, this can be a time of increased anti-social behaviour (ASB) within the city centre.

To prevent ASB, COVID-19 regulations will continue to be enforced over the Halloween weekend. Additional Police Officers will be on patrol and will demonstrate a high level of visibility and engagement within our communities, providing

reassurance but also deterring those who flout the regulations.

Anyone breaching the regulations during Halloween, bonfire night or otherwise, should expect to have an enforcement ticket due to their breach.

The risk of going from house to house is grave, increasing the likelihood of community transmission of the virus at a time when the rate of infection within our communities is rising.

E-SCOOTERS: WHAT’S LEGAL? The presence of e-scooters within the city centre will soon be increased, but what is legal and what is not? To ensure legal use of an e-scooter, they must be hired through the official company, VOI. They will run similar to the hire bike system, YOBikes, where insurance will be provided for use and a driving licence must be presented prior to hiring. The hire scooters will all be red in colour.

Privately owned e-scooters can be ridden without a driving licence, but they must be registered, taxed and insured.

For more information or to report illegal use of an e-scooter, please email the Bristol City Centre BID funded Police Officer, Gareth Ayers, on police@ bristolcitycentrebid.co.uk.

TACKLING ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR The past two weeks have seen a significant rise in anti-social behaviour (ASB) in Millennium Square, Lloyds Amphitheatre and surrounding areas.

To tackle the ASB, the police have reallocated resources to early evening patrols to deter offending and reassure local residents and other visitors to the area. The Local Policing Team have also successfully bid for mounted officers and the Operational Support Unit to provide high visibility patrols in the area until 10:00pm. To support this work, a Dispersal Zone covering 48 hours from midday on Friday has been

authorised which provides officers with the powers to direct people to leave the area, regardless of whether they are committing ASB or any crime.

This sort of coordinated response can be delivered whenever we are notified of a hotspot area for offending, so the issues and concerns you report to us make a real difference. Non-emergency matters can be reported online or by calling 101, but use 999 in an emergency.

POLICING COVID REGULATIONS The high and increasing COVID infection rate in Bristol has been widely reported in the media and is an ongoing concern. Avon and Somerset Constabulary has received approximately ÂŁ680,000 of Government funding to help tackle the pandemic. This funding will be spent across the Constabulary, but Bristol is a priority area given its higher

infection rates. In addition to this, Bristol City Council has also been granted funding and are recruiting eight Covid Marshals who will encourage compliance with the regulations. The police and council are working together to ensure the available funded resources are coordinated to maximise their impact across the city.

Our focus remains to engage, explain and compliance with the restrictions and regulations, but where that advice is not taken, proportionate enforcement interventions will be delivered.

More detail relating to these arrangements will be provided in the next edition of this newsletter.