By When it comes to policing the East Marsh of Grimsby, Humberside Police know that you want them to prioritise tackling drug-related crime, antisocial behaviour and shop theft.
And that’s exactly what their crack team of dedicated Community Beat Managers are focusing on.
From raiding houses that they suspect are being used to deal drugs to teaming up with the council’s Young and Safe Team to tackle antisocial behaviour, they have been doing lots of work in and around the area.
To help them set priorities, PC Nicola Lynn, PC Daniel Steel, PC Andrea Russell, PC Ruby Rayner (pictured left to right with Cllr Steve Beasant and Cllr Kay Rudd), PC Becky Dawson and the wider team have been knocking on doors across the area as part of the Humber Talking initiative.
The aim was to hear directly from you about what’s good about where you live, what’s not so good and what the issues are that you would like focus on.
One of the biggest concerns was around drug-related crime – both drug dealers operating in the area and users stealing to fund their habit or behaving antisocially.
As a result of recent warrants in the area police have recovered drugs and weapons – and they will continue to take action.
PC Rayner said: “We have listened to your concerns and gathered further information and the evidence we needed to act. Dealing with these kind of offences is always a priority for us because we know the impact it has for people living and working nearby and we’re committed to finding and dealing with those who are responsible. I want to thank everyone who has spoken out about what’s happening in your area and my appeal to you is to keep that information coming. If you see anything you’re concerned about, lots of people coming and going from an address or evidence that people are using drugs, we want to hear from you.”
Recently we introduced you to PC Dawson (pictured), whose focus is on reducing reports of shop theft and antisocial behaviour in the Freeman Street area – much of which is also linked to drug use. Find out more about her plans and ongoing work.
And that’s not the only area of the East Marsh where dealing with antisocial behaviour is a top priority.
Team effort
PC Lynn said: “We’ve been listening to your feedback about young people being involved in antisocial behaviour across the area, including around Grant Thorald Park. We also have a great relationship with our local councillors who pass on information they hear when they’re speaking to their constituents. Again, we know the significant impact that antisocial behaviour can have on people’s day to day lives, so dealing with it is important to us. We have been using your information, as well as the intelligence we gather while we’re out on patrol, to get out to the areas where young people are gathering with the council’s Young and Safe Team. We’re then working with these groups to try and stop any future issues before they arise, pointing them in the direction of activities and groups they can get involved with. We’re also making them aware of how behaviour they might consider harmless fun can really impact on people who are vulnerable, to try and get them to think before they act. If that’s not enough and young people continue to cause problems, then there are other steps we can take, including things like dispersal orders and Criminal Behaviour Orders, which give us the power to put them before the courts. We also work with parents and carers to ensure they know what their children are doing and their responsibilities in dealing with any issues.”
Supporting the vulnerable
Working to identify and support the most vulnerable in our communities is a project which PC Russell is leading on for the team.
She said: “It’s often the most vulnerable people who are targeted by criminals or worst affected by issues in an area, so by finding out who these individuals and families are and what we and other agencies can do to support them, we can have a significant impact on their wellbeing and that of the the wider community. When we find someone who may need that support, we assess their needs and work with other agencies to get them what they need.”
PC Steel added: “A big part of this work is about ensuring people are safe from criminals or others who may wish to exploit them.
“This can range from people being exploited at work to county lines gangs looking to recruit young people to deal drugs for them or take over the home of someone with an addiction or mental health issues to use as a base for their operations.
“We know that dealing with some of these issues isn’t something that can happen overnight or be solved by policing alone, but we’re determined to play our role in finding a long term solution.
“What matters to us is ensuring that everyone who lives and works in our area is safe and that they know we’re here for them if they need us.”
You can find out more about what’s happening in the area by visiting the team’s page on Humberside Police website.
If you have concerns about anything happening in the area, speak to one of the team when they’re out and about or call the non-emergency 101 line. If you’d rather remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
If anyone is in immediate danger, always call 999.
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