With the summer holidays just around the corner, North Wales Police are reminding communities across the area of the importance of keeping an eye on their local schools.
In conjunction with all Community Safety Partnerships across the area, the initiative aims to get parents, residents, teachers as well as the emergency services and the local authorities working together to keep schools, and the immediate surrounding area, safe and free from crime and anti-social behaviour.
Throughout the school holidays the North Wales Police helicopter will help to keep a close eye on the schools to ensure that there are no problems. If the helicopter is returning from an incident it will ensure a flypast is done over the nearest schools to ensure everything is in order.
T/Superintendent Jeremy Vaughan, Head of Confidence and Community Safety said: “With schools about to close over the summer holidays we are urging members of the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour they see around school premises.
“Historically, there have been incidents where school buildings have been subject to vandalism and graffiti. We are simply asking people who live near a school to be extra vigilant and to report any suspicious behaviour to officers. This is an all year scheme with the emphasis during the summer holidays.”
This initiative is also part of a force-wide operation which aims to promote partnership working between local councils and other emergency services. Starting next week, a two-week campaign which aims to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour will be underway. This is the second phase of the ‘Nowhere to Hide’ operation, with the first being Tackling Alcohol-Related Crime.
T/Supt Vaughan added: “We believe that by working together to tackle the issues that matter to our communities we can have a positive effect.
“The public have been telling us that anti social behaviour is a priority for them and this phase of the campaign is a demonstration that we are listening to their concerns.
“Over the next two weeks dedicated anti social behaviour patrols will be carried out in ‘hot spot’ areas. Officers will also be out and about with local council youth services staff, engaging with youngsters and targeting problem individuals or groups.
“Although this is a dedicated two-week campaign, we would like to emphasise that throughout the year, police and partners are committed to tackling anti-social behaviour. The public of North Wales can be assured that we are doing everything we can to make North Wales an even safer place to work, live and visit.”
Your Neighbourhood Policing Team is working with your local Community Safety Partnership to make the area in which you live an even safer place. If you have any concerns or if you would like to speak to contact a member of your team, please dial 101. Alternatively, contact details for individual CBMs and PCSOs are available via the Force website – www.north-wales.police.uk
