Police Activity Newsletter - Issue 33

POLICE, CRIME & ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR UPDATE 1st - 14th September 2021

CRIME OVERVIEW Over the last 2 weeks there have been 368 crimes, 228 of which were theft or violence against the person offences.

Crime over the last 12 months has continued to reduce and we are 7% down on last year’s reported crime, however bicycle thefts continue to be an issue.

ASB has reduced by 4.5%; there have been 172 ASB incidents reported with the top locations

being St Augustine’s Parade and Park Street.

MAN CHARGED FOR SWX ARSON A man from Bristol was charged with arson and intent to endanger life at the SWX Nightclub on 17th August. He has also been charged with threats to cause criminal damage to the Lakota Night Club and 3 other related offences. The man was subsequently remanded in custody.

SWX nightclub sustained considerable fire damage following the incident on 13th July and led to the closing of Nelson Street and Union Street until firefighters successfully extinguished the flames and brought it under control.

Fire engines from around the city were committed to dealing with the incident which impacted on numerous local businesses.

The arrest of the suspect followed several weeks of intense investigation, trawling of CCTV and an appeal to the public to assist police in their enquiries.

Fortunately, nobody was killed in the blaze at the popular venue which continues to remain closed for a significant period.

STRATEGIC PATROLS AT LLOYDS AMPHITHEATRE Over the past two months, the Harbourside and Hotwells Neighbourhood Policing Team has completed strategic patrols to decrease the amount of antisocial behaviour on Lloyds Amphitheatre. Large groups have been loitering and making the area unpleasant for other members of the public. We would like to thank all members of the public that have come forward

and shared their concerns with us.

With the efficiency of the Harbourside and Hotwells NPT team we are happy to report that we have challenged the groups and will continue to monitor the area.

The space has been recently used to bring the community together with activities from festivals to bungee jumping. If you see us in the area please feel free to say hello.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU A special mention to PC 4634 Steve James who used his initiative, quick thinking and first aid knowledge to perform lifesaving CPR. On 29th August PC James was cycling on patrol when he came across a male collapsed on the pavement on Jamaica Street at about 12pm. After initially trying to rouse the male, PC James realised that the male was unconscious, struggling to breathe and had a weak pulse. The male’s pulse was fading and so PC James was forced to act rapidly. For five minutes he performed CPR whilst

he waited for units to arrive with a defibrillator. Once the defibrillator was conveyed to the scene, a shock was given to the male just before the ambulance arrived.

The situation was unfortunately a result of a bad batch of spice, and whilst the male is still in hospital, he is making positive steps towards recovery.

Medical professionals have praised the work of police, saying that without the early CPR intervention it is very possible this male would not have survived.

Well done Steve.

PROLIFIC SHOPLIFTER Over the past few weeks we have seen a rise in drug overdoses in the City Centre. This has tragically resulted in two persons losing their lives and a number of others who have required medical treatment as a result. We suspect that the drugs involved are Party Drugs and SPICE, and there could

be a number of reasons to why the drugs have caused people to become unwell. We are working very closely with our partners at the Bristol Drug Project, City Council and Public Health to address this issue, give clear safety messages to those taking drugs and carrying out enforcement work

on those who could be part of the supply chain. We would ask that businesses in the City Centre with those who are part of the Night Timer Economy to be aware of this heightened risk and contact Police or NHS should you have any information or concerns over people’s health.