TACKLING ALCOHOL RELATED VIOLENCE

Chief Superintendent Mark Cordell

Suffolk Constabulary

Charlotte Foster

Community Safety, Suffolk County Council

BACKGROUND

• LAA2: Local Target 7 ‘reduce the number of serious violent crimes committed in a public

place where alcohol and substance misuse was a contributory factor’

= SVIAPP (Linked to Drugs & Alcohol)

• Suffolk Police Authority target• Negotiations during 07/08

BACKGROUND…

• Reduce SVIAPP by 7.1% by March 2011• Baseline = 1352 (2007/8)• Typical!

Target Actual

2008/9 1284 1474

2009/10 1270 1405

2010/11 1256 ….

PERFORMANCE

Local Area Agreement 2 Local Target 7 - Reduce the number of serious violent crimes in a public place linked to alcohol and substance misuse

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LAA2 - LT7: Target

LAA2 - LT7: Performance

Target baseline

BACKGROUND…

• 52% of all SVIAPP is Alcohol or Drug related

• 98% of this is Alcohol related

• Approximately 60% occurs during NTE Hours at the weekend.

• 73% is ABH

3 towns = 45% of offences

Lowestoft

IpswichNewmarket

Peak offending = Late Saturday night.

WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM?

• In Ipswich Central SNT 55% of the SVIAPP linked to drugs and alcohol occurs within 11 hours of the week (there are 168 hours in a week!) which are spread across the Friday/Saturday and Sunday nights each week.

• Newmarket Central = 63% in 14 Hours Fri-Sun• Lowestoft Central= 60 % in 11 hours Fri-Sun

WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM?

• Victim profile– Male – White– Lives locally– 18-25 years old

• Offender profile– Male– White– Lives locally– 18-25 years old.

POOR PERFORMANCE

• Performance during 1st Year: Target – 5% decrease / Actual – 10% increase…

• SSPB in February 2009• GO EAST support• Incomplete product• Where do we go from here?

FULL PARTNERSHIP ENGAGEMENT

• Lots of existing partnership working• What difference was it making• Are we too soft?• Link to the Confidence Agenda• High level engagement and commitment• The Practical Guide for preventing and dealing

with alcohol related problems: what you need to know.

STRATEGIC COUNTY TASK AND

FINISH GROUP• Police – Chief Supt.

(Chair)• Suffolk County Council

Trading Standards • Communications

representatives (SCC Police)

• Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service

• Research & Information Team (SCC Community Safety Unit)

• NHS Suffolk• NHS Great Yarmouth &

Waveney • Suffolk County Council –

Children’s & young People’s Services

• Suffolk County Council Community Safety Unit

• Directors responsible for Community Safety (District/Boroughs)

• Suffolk DAAT

Membership

STRATEGIC COUNTY TASK AND

FINISH GROUP• Meets bi-monthly• Funding from PRG and NHS• Creation of three LAGS

– Ipswich– Lowestoft– Newmarket

LAGs

• Chaired by district/borough • Licensing Trade representatives

• Pubwatch / Barwatch representatives• Town Pastors / SOS bus representatives• Meets monthly• Established and implemented ‘Action Plan’

LAG’s…ACTION PLANS:

• key generic issues for agencies to consider in preparation for the attendance of night-time economy users in an area.

• The main event: making the evening safe and enjoyable

• Leaving: planning to ensure that night-time economy users arrive home safely.

http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugsalcohol/drugsalcohol104.htm

LAG’s…(Generic Issues: Recommendation 1.2)

• Specific ‘problem premises’ analysis– Produced every 4 weeks (coincide with LAG)– All Crime Reports are read by Research Officers

• Crimes located to 100 metre radius• Glass/Bottles being used as weapons• In the street offences• Under-age related crimes• Previous convictionsExample problem premises analysis

LAG’s…(Generic Issue: Recommendation 1.6)

• Custody Intel Gathering – Last drink survey (recommendation 1.6)– Pre-loading– Occupation– Amount consumed whilst out / venues

purchased from– Attractions to specific premises

LAG’s…(Generic Issue: Recommendation 1.13)

• Gather A&E data• Estimated 46% of SVIAPP offences are not

recorded to the Police.• In general we have ‘hit a brick wall’ in

setting up agreements between Hospitals.• 2 Hospitals (Suffolk PCT) + 1 Hospital

(Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT)• Ideas welcome of how to move this

forward!

LAGs…

(Arriving in the area: Recommendation 2.7)

• Intervention by CCTV Operators– Police Officer sits within control room every

Friday and Saturday evening– Town link : CCTV, Police, Town Pastors

LAGs…

(The Main Event: Recommendation 3.2)

• Town Pastors– Operational across Suffolk– Joint briefings held with Police– Links to triage and taxi ranks– Free water, choc and space blankets– Intelligence/data included in analysis.

LAGs…

(Ensuring NTE users arrive home safe: recommendation 4.2)

• Personal protection / conflict resolution training– 1 day course– Free of charge– Local club providing venue for free– Consult: Hold on a day when practical

LAG’s…

(Ensuring NTE users arrive home safe: recommendation 4.7)

• Taxi Marshalling– Successful application to Go East £4K– Partnership approach– Some negative feedback– Evaluation suggests has been a reduction in

SVIAPP

FUNDING

• Approx £250K additional funding provided from partners

• Best Bar None in Ipswich• Dedicated Police NTE team• Alcohol Diversion Scheme

THE FUTURE

• Summer 2010 is the key

• Non BCU staff

• Alcohol Diversion Scheme

• IMPACT events

WILL WE ACHIEVE THE TARGET?

• Who knows?

• It was the key to action

• An encouraging start

THE FUTURE

• Continue or pack up?

• Questions…