Agenda item

To consider the attached report of the Director of Environment & Neighbourhoods and to receive an update from NPT Inspector Mark Bownass regarding community safety issues within the Inner West Leeds area.

The West North West Leeds Area Manager submitted a report which updated the meeting on Community Safety issues in Inner West Leeds since the last meeting.

Police Inspector Bownass presented the report and responded to Members’ queries and comments.

In summary, specific reference was made to the following issues:-

• Operation Alness – this was an operation working in partnership with the prison service to disrupt drugs and mobile phones being smuggled into Armley prison.  Officers from the NPT, roads policing, off road bikes, mounted and the Yorkshire and Humber roads policing teams were involved working with the prison staff and the prison’s dog section

• Operation Alphamstone  –this was a city wide operation which was two fold.  The first was involving designated NPT staff who were to patrol the hot spot areas seizing alcohol off children/youths between 5.00 pm and midnight on a Friday and Saturday.  The names of the youths were then forwarded to Youth services for intervention by health teams and also to ASB officers.  The second phase of the operation was to target those selling the alcohol

• Operation Abbreviate – this was an operation held in New Wortley to target prostitution and drugs.  The operation was to be extended into a secondary operation within City and Holbeck to tackle prostitution on both sides

• Operation Alport – this was an operation to target rising burglaries across the West Inner and West Outer areas.  NPT officers, mounted officers, CID and roads policing were working in hot spot areas targeting known offenders.  Officers were working until 4.00 am from the late-turn teams and officers from the early turn would commence duty at 4am, thereby providing a 24/7 cover for a week

• Operation Adjacent – this was an operation to target offenders in the DPPO areas of West Inner and Outer.  Dedicated patrols would be involved from 9.00 pm until 2.00 am

In addition to the above presentation, Gill Hunter, Area Community Safety Co-ordinator circulated a copy of a document entitled ‘Operation Champion – 22^nd to 24^th July 2009 Pudsey Evaluation of Activities’ for the information/comment of the meeting.

Detailed discussion ensued on the content of the report, presentation and supporting information in relation to ‘Operation Champion’.

In summary, specific reference was made to the following issues:-

·  the need for further funding to be made available in relation to Alert Boxes and to promote this issue as widely as possible within Inner West

·  the concerns expressed about drinking by Romanian and Polish people on Armley Town Street which was leading to shoplifting and for the police to look at engaging interpreters in this regard with a view to tackling this problem

RESOLVED –

a)  That the contents of the report and supporting information on ‘Operation Champion’, together with the update provided by the West Yorkshire Police be noted.

b)  That the West North West Area Manager be requested to include a request for funding for Alert Boxes within the Wellbeing Report for consideration at the next meeting in October 2009.