POLICE, CRIME AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR UPDATE 22 JUNE – 5 JULY 2022
CRIME STATS In the past two weeks, reported crimes have increased from 278 to 288 as thefts increase. Anti-social behaviour (ASB) has risen to 128 with a high volume of calls for ASB incoming from Queen Charlotte Street. Despite this, public order offences have decreased slightly for this period.
Taxis A quick reminder for people using taxis to pre-book where possible and ensure that the taxi has fixed plates. This should show the taxi number, vehicle details and expiry date. Stay safe and share a taxi where you can.
LITTLE AMAL VISITS BRISTOL On Friday 28 June the city of Bristol hosted an unusual visitor in the shape of a 3.5m tall walking puppet called Little Amal, who is based on a 10-year-old refugee from Syria. The partly animatronic puppet, whose name means ‘Hope’ in Arabic, has made various appearances across the country to highlight the plight of refugees. The visit, which coincided with Refugee Week and Bristol Refugee Festival, led to a popular walking tour around the city during the afternoon. This followed and
accompanied a number of musical activities to herald her arrival. Little Amal initially crossed Clifton Suspension Bridge just after dawn and was then transported to the city centre for her next appearance. The actual walk with Little Amal started at King Street, through the old historic city and onto the floating harbour where the puppet finally boarded a ferry boat for her departure.
The event remained peaceful and relaxed throughout and participants including many families were supported and accompanied by a small number of friendly local neighbourhood police officers The puppet was welcomed by crowds of approximately 3,000 people and made a positive impact on the city, particularly in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine which has led to the displacement of millions and a humanitarian crisis.
OPERATION SCORPION This week we’re playing our part in the second phase of Operation Scorpion, a regional crackdown on drugs. The first phase of Operation Scorpion took place in March 2022 and resulted in 194 drug-related arrests, 55 warrants, 400 drug line disruptions, £404k of suspected drugs seized, £131k of cash seized, 320 vulnerability checks carried out and a large number of weapons seized which included tazers, knives and machetes. This collaborative operation involves resources from police and Crime Commissioners, British Transport Police, South West Regional Organised Crime Unit, Crimestoppers and a collective approach from units on the ground.
With phase two of Operation Scorpion focusing on the impact of drugs within local communities, neighbourhood policing teams play a key role in disrupting and dismantling the South West drugs market. Having a community-focused approach in phase two will allow us to open opportunities to reassure our communities through high-profile neighbourhood policing. Targeted patrols alongside enforcement work will allow us to focus on those who are profiting from the harm that drugs can bring to our communities and those who are being exploited as a result. Members of the public can report drugrelated crimes or intelligence by calling 101 or via Crimestoppers anonymous online form.
MODERN TECHNOLOGY IN POLICING RETURNS STOLEN BIKE This month, officers from Bridewell Neighbourhood Police Team carried out a warrant on a wanted person at an address in Stokes Croft, seizing 4 bikes which were believed to have been stolen. On returning to the station, officers used an app called Qlik which allowed them to search for every reported bike theft in a
defined area, specific to the time frame as well as the make and model of the bikes. Qlik provides officers access to a raft of information and analytics, this includes current crime trends, reported crimes, hotspots and even possible future crime locations.
Qlik identified the owner who had reported their stolen bike only 5 days earlier. A key factor in the return of the bike was the owner’s photos which were matched against the one recovered. If you have a bike, make sure you have saved photos including the make, model, and importantly the frame number.
You can also keep an eye out for our free bike marking events which register your bike to a database. Bike marking also provides a QR code sticker which, in the case of a stolen bike, when scanned by officers will show all your details and allow a speedy return.
BLUE CAB DRIVER RULES You may have noticed the below signs at our taxi ranks around the city centre. If you are a user of Blue Cabs please take a moment to read the information. There are a number of rules that Blue Cab drivers must follow including: • •
All journeys within the Bristol City Council boundary have to be charged by the meter. All cabs must have contactless payment facilities.
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Drivers cannot unreasonably refuse to take wheelchairs or other mobility aids. Assistance dogs are allowed in the vehicle. The driver must display their badge so you can see it.
Taxis are a safe way to travel, and the police work hard to keep it that way. If you have a problem with a taxi, please get in touch with the council or contact the police.