Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter Edition 7 – Autumn 2019 I would like to take this opportunity as the new Chairperson of the Mid and East Antrim PCSP to welcome you to the seventh edition of the Mid and East Antrim PCSP Neighbourhood Watch newsletter.
Antrim remains one of the safest areas in Northern Ireland.
In this Autumn edition, we would like to remind you that opportunistic criminals can strike anywhere so we have included advice on how to keep yourselves and your belongings safe.
We are delighted to continue to promote our successful road safety initiative we encourages local people to “Kill Your Speed Not a Child”. There has been a major uptake in the safety signs by local people which are thought to have led to slower driving speeds around schools and in areas where children are playing.
Increased awareness in crime prevention practices and the growth of the neighbourhood watch network all helps to ensure that Mid and East
In addition, Mid and East Antrim PCSP are working with Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership (MEAAP) to provide support to 30
local businesses in the Antrim area to become SCAM Champions with a focus on identifying and supporting older people (60 years +) who are particularly at risk of falling victim to scamming/fraud. Keep up to date via the PCSP or MEAAP Facebook pages. Finally, please take time to adopt the tips and advice within this edition to help keep yourselves, your property and your communities safer.
Mid and East Antrim PCSP Chair, Alderman John Carson
Supported by
making Mid & East Antrim safer
Kill Your Speed Signs Mid and East Antrim PCSP is committed to Road Safety initiatives through its 2019/20 action plan. Speed is one of the main factors in fatal road accidents. PCSP worked on the principle it is far better to try to change culture and behaviour in this way rather than through the enforcement of speed limits. Some drivers were ignoring speed limits particularly around schools and in built up areas. Mid and East Antrim PCSP have produced the “Kill Your Speed” signs along with PSNI and also provided funding to purchase an initial 100 signs. PCSP members and local residents responded quickly and within a couple of days all the signs had been distributed across the Borough. Due to local demand an additional 100 were purchased and distributed also. As these are temporary signs they do not need permissions to be put up on street furniture.
It is still early days but PCSP anticipate this project will have an impact on levels of speeding across the Borough. Three outside agencies have also expressed an interest in rolling out the schemes in other areas of Northern Ireland. There has been a major uptake in the Safety signs by local people which are thought to have led to slower driving speeds around schools and in areas where children are playing. Signs up at Sunningdale Park, and Four Town Primary School, both in Ballymena.
KILL YOUR SPEED NOT A CHILD
Mid and East Antrim now has over 200 Farm Watch schemes registered in the Borough! If you’re living and/or working in the rural community and concerned about rural crime, you may be interested in becoming a member of your local Farm Watch scheme. Farm Watch, which is delivered in this area by Mid and East Antrim Policing and Community Safety Partnership and the PSNI, offers support to help reduce the risk of rural crime.
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improve communication between the farming community and the police service
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encourage people to report suspicious incidents as they occur
Members of the scheme will be offered the following services: •
“Farm Watch” signs to advertise that the scheme is active in that area
Mid and East Antrim Borough now has over 200 Farm Watch schemes in this area.
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signs for farm machinery, warning that the property is marked
The Farm Watch scheme aims to:
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practical crime prevention advice to help you make your property and goods as secure as possible
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a text alert service on issues relevant to your area
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reduce crime and the fear of crime in farming and rural communities
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build upon and strengthen community spirit in rural communities, so that everyone works together to protect their property
For more information contact Mid and East Antrim PCSP or PSNI. Contact details on the back of this newsletter.
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Scam Champions Scam Champions is an exciting new project designed to help older people protect themselves against scams. Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership (MEAAP) is a local inter-agency based partnership aimed at improving the lives of older people aged 60 years and over, living in the Ballymena, Larne & Carrickfergus areas. The project will provide support to 30 local businesses in the Antrim area to become SCAM Champions with a focus on identifying and supporting older people (60 years +) who are particularly at risk of falling victim to scamming/ fraud.
the main contact point for the Project’s financial and reporting returns. Businesses across Mid and East Antrim will be offered the opportunity to be receive free 30 minute training sessions to help their older customers recognise when they are being scammed. Every year in the UK £10 Billion is lost to scammers and the average age of a scam victim is 75, with 53% of people aged 65 or over have been targeted by scammers.
MEAAP were awarded £21,843.72 through the Assets Recovery Community Scheme 2018-2021 to fund this project.
MEAAPs Scamchampion can visit a place of business to deliver the training to all staff and answer any questions or situations staff may already come across with customers. During the training businesses will also receive gift bags for customers with helpful booklets that customers can take home with them to keep.
Mid and East Antrim PCSP is acting as the Project Supervisor for this project which involves PCSP being
MEAAP are also looking for businesses who are interested in taking part in a council wide media
Stay Scam Aware campaign promoting the Scamchampion project and the benefits it can provide to older people. Deirdre McCloskey Project Coordinator with MEAAP says:MEAAP have previously ran scam awareness sessions to older people’s groups across the borough including even commissioning a play called “You can’t cod Maud” to provide advice in a creative manner. However MEAAP wanted to extend our reach further into the community and encourage local businesses to learn how they can also help to protect their older and possibly more vulnerable customers from possible scams. This is a dual approach where we not only educate the older people, we are empowering the businesses to help identify scams before they even happen.
It seems like a new scam is being highlighted every day but the good news is that more and more people are now recognising the signs. Police are part of the ScamwiseNI Partnership which aims to raise awareness on the issue and there is now a dedicated Facebook page where people can read up on the latest scams and get advice and information. The latest initiative from the partnership encourages Post Office customers to ask counter staff if they are concerned they are falling victims to a scam. The Post Office counter staff can advise if they think the request is unusual or if it is a scam they have come across before. Chief Superintendent Simon Walls says Scams are not simply an issue for older or vulnerable people within our society, they can happen to anyone regardless of age and
unfortunately there is a scam out there with each of our names on it.
uk/scamwiseni or checkout the ScamwiseNI Facebook page.
Fraudsters will go to any length to scam people out of money and you might think it might never happen to you, but it can. Our advice is simple. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. No matter how good the offer is, or how convincing these cold callers sound or emails seem, be wary of any contact out of the blue.
The ScamwiseNI Partnership includes the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Department of Justice, and Commissioner for Older Persons, the Consumer Council, Trading Standards, Age Sector Platform, Royal Mail and a number of faith and youth groups.
If you have any suspicions at all about a call you receive, hang up and phone the organisation the person is claiming to represent to check their authenticity. Ideally, make the call from another telephone so you can be sure the original caller has not remained on the line. Never be pressured into making a transaction over the phone. If you have had experience like this or require any further advice and information call us on 101, visit indirect.gov.
Mid and East Antrim PCSP Small Grant Programme 2019 – 2020 – NOW OPEN! Mid and East Antrim Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) invites applications for community safety themed projects from Community, Voluntary and Statutory based organisations operating in and across the Borough of Mid and East Antrim, up to a maximum of £2,500. Projects should link to Mid and East Antrim PCSP current aims and address at least one of the following priorities: •
Addressing Anti-Social Behaviour
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Reducing Crime, Fear of Crime (may include Business Retail Crime)
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Rural Crime
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Hate Crime
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Road Safety
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Cyber Crime
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Domestic Violence
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Drugs and Alcohol
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Building Confidence in Policing
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Paramilitary Activity
Applications are made online at www.midandeastantrim. gov.uk/resident/grants Guidance Notes and the PCSP Aims and Objectives are also available on the Council website or by emailing: grants@midandeastantim. gov.uk Should you wish to discuss a potential project, please contact PCSP officers on 028 2826 2459 or email: pcsp@midandeastantrim. gov.uk Applications opened on Monday 3 June 2019 on a rolling basis until funding is exhausted. Retrospective applications cannot be considered.
All projects must be completed by Friday 7 February 2020. For further information please contact: Policing & Community Safety Partnership Manager Telephone: 028 2826 2459 E: pcsp@midandeastantrim. gov.uk
Firework safety Keep safe this Halloween Despite annual safety warnings, firework celebrations still end in painful injuries for too many people, including very young children. Yet fireworks can be great fun for families, not just around Halloween, but also Diwali, New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year. Injury figures support the advice that the safest place to enjoy fireworks is at a large public display - far fewer people are injured here than at smaller family or private parties. But if you’ll be having a firework party at home, you can make the occasion fun and safe for everyone by following the Firework Code, as well as some sparkler and bonfire safety tips.
Firework Code Only adults should deal with setting up firework displays, the lighting of fireworks and the safe disposal of fireworks once they have been used (and remember, alcohol and fireworks don’t mix!). Children and young people should be supervised, and watch and enjoy fireworks at a safe distance. Follow these top 10 tips for a safer fireworks party:
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Light the firework at arm’s length with a taper and stand well back
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Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks
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Never return to a firework once it has been lit
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Don’t put fireworks in pockets and never throw them
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Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators
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Never use paraffin or petrol on a bonfire
Plan your firework display to make it safe and enjoyable, and ensure it finishes before 11pm
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Only buy fireworks which carry the CE mark, keep them in a closed box and use them one at a time
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Read and follow the instructions on each firework using a torch if necessary
10. Make sure that the fire is out and surroundings are made safe before leaving
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Interested in setting up a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme? Neighbourhood Watch is an initiative which offers you the opportunity to influence the safety of your neighbourhood and to reduce the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour in your area. The aim of Neighbourhood Watch is to support you so that you can protect yourself and your property. The scheme is promoted, supported and endorsed at a strategic level by a partnership between the Department of Justice, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB). At an operational level, this is done through PSNI District Command Units and Policing and Community
Safety Partnerships. Neighbourhood Watch is one of the largest and most well-known crime prevention initiatives. Anyone can get involved in a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, which means you can play your part in helping the police reduce crime. The scheme also encourages you to be a good neighbour and helps to bring communities closer together. Neighbourhood Watch is a method of developing close liaison between households in a neighbourhood, the local police and other relevant agencies. The aim of Neighbourhood Watch is to help you protect yourself and your property
Mid and East Antrim Text Alert Scheme
and to reduce the fear of crime in your community through: •
improved home security
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greater vigilance
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fostering community spirit
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improving your environment
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Please contact:-
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Any members of the Mid and East Antrim Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP)
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A PSNI Officer
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PCSP and PSNI contact details can be found on the back of this Newsletter
Text Alert is a service provided by Mid and East Antrim Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), working alongside the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Text Alert is used to get short, immediate messages out to registered users who have an interest in helping PSNI and PCSP to reduce crime and help keep the community in which they live or work safer. Text Alert is a receive-only information service and is available to anyone aged 18 years old who lives within the Mid and East Antrim Borough. You cannot reply to a text message. If you wish to contact PSNI, you should call 101 in a nonemergency or 999 in an emergency. How is Text Alert useful? Receiving a community safety text alert message will be useful to a range of people for a variety of reasons.
Text Alert can be used to remind users of dangerous road conditions, suspicious vehicles and ongoing crime issues in the registered users particular area. If you are a member of a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, you may like to get information if there has been a spate of break-ins or thefts in your locality Who sends the Text Alert message? Community safety text alert messages will be issued only by PSNI or your local PCSP. How much does it cost? Text Alert is a free service provided by your local PCSP in conjunction with the PSNI. How is my contact information managed? Your contact information will not be used for any other purposes aside from receiving community safety messages from Text Alert. Contact information will be held on a secure server accessed only by PSNI and PCSP for this purpose.
Your mobile number will not be shared with any other external body or organisation To register:Complete a short registration form and provide the mobile number through which you would like to receive community safety messages. Registration forms are available from PCSP staff at the Larne Town Hall office listed on the back of this newsletter or download from the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council website at: www.midandeastantrim.gov. uk/resident/communitysafety/text-alert-scheme/ Please note: The Text Alert Scheme is fully compliant with the 1998 Data Protection Act. Contact information will not be used for any other purposes aside from receiving community safety messages from PSNI/PCSP.
Useful Contact Numbers
Your PCSP members
PSNI contact details
10 Elected Members
9 Independent Members
7 Statutory Partners
Cllr Gregg McKeen
Mary Watson
Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Ald John Carson (Chair)
Marjorie Hawkins
Cllr Andrew Wilson
Brenda Leslie
Cllr Mrs Lauren Gray
Jonathan Cooke
Cllr Timothy Gaston
Emma McIlveen
Cllr Thomas Gordon
Wendy Kerr
Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Cllr Miss C Johnston
Ashleigh Perry
Education Authority
Cllr John McDermott
Rodney Quigley
Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service
Cllr Danny Donnelly
Marian Maguire
Name
Rank
Role
Station
Mobile
Rory Bradley
Inspector
Neighbourhood Police Team Ballymena
Ballymena
07557261877
Rory.Bradley@psni. pnn.police.uk
Ciara Mullan
Inspector
Neighbourhood Police Team Larne and Carrick
Carrick
Simon Coupland
Sergeant
Chris McIlroy
Police Service of Northern 07917586430
ciara.mullan@psni. pnn.police.uk
Youth Justice Agency 07787 133250
simon.coupland@ psni.pnn.police.uk
Neighbourhood Policing Team Carrick
Carrick
Sergeant
Neighbourhood Policing Team Carrick
Carrick
07787224732
Chris.McIlroy@ psni.pnn.police.uk
Michelle McKillop
Sergeant
Neighbourhood Policing Team Ballymena
Ballymena
07917094898
Michelle.McKillop@ psni.pnn.police.uk
Stephen Rainey
Sergeant
Community Planning Sergeant
Ballymena
Mid and East Antrim PCSP contact details Contact the PCSP staff by phone, email or call into the office: Larne Town Hall, Upper Cross Street, Larne. BT40 1RZ Tel: 028 2826 2459/60/61 Email: pcsp@midandeastantrim.gov.uk
Probation Board
07920502825
stephen.rainey2@ psni.pnn.police.uk
In an emergency call 999 PSNI non-emergency number 101 • • • •
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Victim Support: 028 2563 0784 Crime stoppers: 0800 555 111 24 hour Domestic and Sexual Violence helpline: 0808 802 1414 Antrim, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne and Newtownabbey (ABCLN) Women’s Aid: 028 2563 2136 Crime Prevention Officer Stuart Willkie: 07500036996 / Ext 86008 / phone 101
Cllr Marc Collins
Pcsp Membership Changes As a result of the local council elections which took place on 2nd May the membership of the PCSP has changed. Please see below table listing the local PCSP representatives. For more information on the PCSP can log into the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council website and click on Policing and Community Safety partnership www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/resident/community-safety
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This newsletter is supported by The Northern Ireland Policing Board and The Department of Justice. With thanks to PSNI, Crimestoppers and Neighbourhood Watch for providing information for this leaflet.
Supported by