An awards scheme to recognise people who have been at the forefront of tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in their communities is seeking nominations from people from the Caerphilly county borough.
The Community Crime Fighter awards are part of the Government’s national Justice Seen, Justice Done programme which is all about engaging the public in the fight against crime, informing the public of their rights on crime and justice and giving them the best possible local services.
The awards scheme was launched recently by the Government’s Crime and Justice Advisor Louise Casey and Policing Minister David Hanson MP.
The awards have two categories:
People who have taken a stand against anti-social behaviour or supported those affected by it. This will include newly trained Community Crime Fighters who have made a significant contribution to support crime reduction in their neighbourhood, and local workers, nominated by Community Crime Fighters, for delivering a high quality, responsive local service such as police and housing officers.
The closing date for submitting nominations is Friday 25th September, and nomination forms can be found at www.communitycrimefighters.org.uk/awards.
Community Crime Fighters are experienced local volunteers who are given the skills and training to work alongside police and local authorities to help make their areas safer. The Government pledged to have 3,600 trained by the end of 2009 and is on target with more than 2000 trained so far.
Cabinet member for the environment, Cllr Lyn Ackerman said, “I am delighted that so many of our residents have pledged their support to the Community Crime Fighter initiative, and are playing a vital role in supporting the work of various agencies including the council and police in Caerphilly county borough.
This awards scheme is an excellent way of recognising the ongoing hard work of local people in helping to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, and I would encourage anyone who knows someone deserving of a Community Crime Fighters award to submit a nomination.”
Louise Casey said, “The public are our best weapon in fighting crime – they know what is really going on in their neighbourhood, what the real problems are and where residents’ concerns lie. They and Community Crime Fighters are playing a vital role in strengthening the links between the public and the police and it is time that their relentless hard work and dedication in helping to make local areas safer is recognised.”
Policing Minister David Hanson MP said, “These awards build on the work that has been taking place across government to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. Community Crime Fighters provide police with a great way of engaging with the public, working together to keep our streets safe. The awards are a chance for us to recognise the unsung heroes in our communities who make a difference to everyday lives and it is right that their dedication to fighting crime is rewarded.”
Each category will have one overall winner who will receive £10,000 each to invest in a local community project or initiative. All winners will receive a personalised certificate recognising their achievement.
If you would like to find out more information on becoming a Community Crime Fighter in Caerphilly county borough, please visit www.caerphilly.gov.uk/saferccb or call 01443 864374.
