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Warwickshire Crime
Crime mapping is part of a Home Office initiative which will eventually be available in all 43 police forces across England and Wales giving members of the public easy access to local crime data.
By logging on to Warwickshire Police website (www.warwickshire.police.uk), the Safer Neighbourhoods website (www.safer-neighbourhoods.co.uk) or directly via warwickshire.crimemapper.co.uk members of the public can see whether crime is up or down in their community and compare with other areas within Warwickshire.
Delivering the right service, first time
The force's award winning communications centre is introducing an even more efficient call handling service today, Tuesday May 12, which will ensure that anyone who contacts the force will get the right service, first time.
Call handlers deal with up to 700 calls every day reporting a vast array of crimes, collisions and concerns and most of the time officers are expected to attend the scene or arrange a visit with the caller.
This places a huge demand on resources, reduces the number of officers readily available for other, more serious incidents and creates a backlog of unattended calls which leads to complaints from members of the public.
Many calls received in the communication centre concern matters which are not police responsibility, for example noise nuisance and stray dogs which are both the responsibility of the borough or district councils, and under the new system those calls will be directed to the relevant agency.
There will be NO CHANGE in the way emergency and priority calls are handled.
If officers NEED to attend they will - if it is an emergency 999 call this will be as quickly as is safely possible and if it is urgent or a local policing priority it will be within an hour.
Non emergency calls will be dealt with on a strict appointment basis with dedicated officers staffing police surgeries and appointment cars seven days a week.
This means that members of the public will be guaranteed an appointment with an officer at a time and place agreed with them within 48 hours of their initial call (unless they choose a later time).
The new system will provide long term benefits for the force and the community and has already been successful in other areas of the country.
How will it work?
Each call which comes into the control centre will be assessed by a trained member of staff who will decide the best response grading calls as either Emergency, Priority, Appointment and Advice and Information.
What this means is:
Emergency - we will still attend 999 emergency calls, where crime is in progress or life is at risk, as quickly as is safely possible. Call 999.
Priority - if the matter is urgent or a local policing priority, but is not an emergency, we will attend as soon as possible, usually within 60 minutes (in line with the Policing Pledge). Call 01926 415000.
By appointment - for incidents which are neither an emergency or urgent the caller will be offered an appointment with an officer at one of the nine station surgeries which are being created across the force either the same or next working day. Call 01926 415000.
If this is difficult for the caller, because of transport, work or family commitments, they will be offered an appointment at an alternative location with an officer using a dedicated appointment car.
Station surgeries will be at Leamington, Warwick, Stratford, Rugby, Nuneaton, Kenilworth, Bedworth, Atherstone and Coleshill.
Advice and information - for calls relating to incidents or matters which are not the responsibility of the police, for example stray dogs or noisy neighbours, the caller will be given advice and appropriate contact details.
Each call which comes into the control centre will be assessed by a trained member of staff who will decide the best response grading calls as either Emergency, Priority, Appointment and Advice and Information.
What this means is:
Emergency - we will still attend 999 emergency calls, where crime is in progress or life is at risk, as quickly as is safely possible. Call 999.
Priority - if the matter is urgent or a local policing priority, but is not an emergency, we will attend as soon as possible, usually within 60 minutes (in line with the Policing Pledge). Call 01926 415000.
By appointment - for incidents which are neither an emergency or urgent the caller will be offered an appointment with an officer at one of the nine station surgeries which are being created across the force either the same or next working day. Call 01926 415000.
If this is difficult for the caller, because of transport, work or family commitments, they will be offered an appointment at an alternative location with an officer using a dedicated appointment car.
Station surgeries will be at Leamington, Warwick, Stratford, Rugby, Nuneaton, Kenilworth, Bedworth, Atherstone and Coleshill.
Advice and information - for calls relating to incidents or matters which are not the responsibility of the police, for example stray dogs or noisy neighbours, the caller will be given advice and appropriate contact details.
Four people arrested in connection with fire at Atherstone on Stour released on bail
The three men and one woman were arrested in Handsworth, Smethwick and Evesham on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
They have been bailed to return to a Warwickshire police station in July 2009.
Detective Superintendent Ken Lawrence, who is leading the investigation into the fire and subsequent events, said:
"This is a very complex investigation and these arrests are part of that process. We are gathering information from every possible source in order to establish the facts of this case and will continue to work tirelessly to achieve this.
"The joint police/HSE investigation is ongoing, we are still interviewing people and gathering new information and will be for some time to come.
"To date we have taken 2,439 statements from 866 people, gathered 3,940 other documents, collated records of 1,962 people, recovered 3,885 exhibits, recorded 1,100 events and carried out 2,700 actions with more pending.
"We have always said this would take a long time and scale of these figures should go some way to explaining the magnitude of the task we are undertaking.
"I am still keen to hear from anyone who may have information about the events of or leading up to the fatal fire on November 2, 2007 and has not yet come forward.
"There may be some thought or memory at the back of your mind but you are not sure if it is relevant. Whatever it is please contact us - you may question its significance but it could be a valuable part of the jigsaw.
"We are committed to investigating the fire and the tragic deaths of the four fire fighters as thoroughly as we possibly can so that we can tell the families how and why their loved ones died.
"The families have been very supportive of the investigation but it is understandably difficult for them especially as time goes on.
"If you can help please telephone the incident room on 01926 415907 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111."
"I am still keen to hear from anyone who may have information about the events of or leading up to the fatal fire on November 2, 2007 and has not yet come forward.
"There may be some thought or memory at the back of your mind but you are not sure if it is relevant. Whatever it is please contact us - you may question its significance but it could be a valuable part of the jigsaw.
"We are committed to investigating the fire and the tragic deaths of the four fire fighters as thoroughly as we possibly can so that we can tell the families how and why their loved ones died.
"The families have been very supportive of the investigation but it is understandably difficult for them especially as time goes on.
"If you can help please telephone the incident room on 01926 415907 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111."
Zig-Zag Markings
Zig-zag markings are there for a purpose – to provide a clear area in which children can cross more safely.
Because of their size, children cannot see if the road is clear from behind parked cars. Drivers cannot see small children hidden by parked cars. When children go to and from school, there is usually a lot of traffic.
Parents & Guardians come up with all sorts of excuses as to why they insist on parking right outside school gates, parents themselves pose the biggest threat by blocking the view of other motorists who cannot see youngsters crossing between parked cars.
If you have to drive your child to school
do not park on the zig-zag lines.
Parents & Guardians come up with all sorts of excuses as to why they insist on parking right outside school gates, parents themselves pose the biggest threat by blocking the view of other motorists who cannot see youngsters crossing between parked cars.
If you have to drive your child to school
do not park on the zig-zag lines.
Sat Nav crime prevention advice
~Make sure you disconnect your Sat Nav everytime you leave your car, and take the electronic route finder with you.
~Also remove the suction mounted fitting from the windscreen as this gives potential thieves a strong indication that the car has a Sat Nav device which may still be stashed somewhere inside the vehicle.
~Another factor to bear in mind is that the suction device used to affix the Sat Nav to the windscreen sometimes leaves a small ring on the glass when it is removed from the windscreen. Always wipe it away with a cloth as thieves may look for this mark as an indication that you have a Sat Nav device, which may be in the car somewhere.
~Make a note of the serial number of your Sat Nav device and any other portable equipment you have and keep the information in a safe place in case the device is stolen.
~Security mark each part of your Sat Nav system with SmartWater, or ultraviolet markers. Use of these systems will help to increase your chances of being re-united with your equipment if you are unfortunate enough to have it stolen and it is recovered by the police.
~Consider registering your in car devices such as Sat Navs with tracking agencies such as www.immobilise.com, a free service which enables your equipment to be registered nationally. The company is supported by all the major police forces and helps to reunite owners with their property if it is stolen and then recovered.
~Do not leave anything of value in your cars, even hidden out of sight in the boot as a thief will break in just to see if there is anything of value in the car.
~Open the parcel shelf and open the glove compartment to show there is nothing of value left in the vehicle.
~Also remove the suction mounted fitting from the windscreen as this gives potential thieves a strong indication that the car has a Sat Nav device which may still be stashed somewhere inside the vehicle.
~Another factor to bear in mind is that the suction device used to affix the Sat Nav to the windscreen sometimes leaves a small ring on the glass when it is removed from the windscreen. Always wipe it away with a cloth as thieves may look for this mark as an indication that you have a Sat Nav device, which may be in the car somewhere.
~Make a note of the serial number of your Sat Nav device and any other portable equipment you have and keep the information in a safe place in case the device is stolen.
~Security mark each part of your Sat Nav system with SmartWater, or ultraviolet markers. Use of these systems will help to increase your chances of being re-united with your equipment if you are unfortunate enough to have it stolen and it is recovered by the police.
~Consider registering your in car devices such as Sat Navs with tracking agencies such as www.immobilise.com, a free service which enables your equipment to be registered nationally. The company is supported by all the major police forces and helps to reunite owners with their property if it is stolen and then recovered.
~Do not leave anything of value in your cars, even hidden out of sight in the boot as a thief will break in just to see if there is anything of value in the car.
~Open the parcel shelf and open the glove compartment to show there is nothing of value left in the vehicle.
Meet The team...
