Agencies in Cardiff have hailed this year’s Halloween and Bonfire Night safety campaign a major success with the total number of incidents reported between October 15 and November 7 falling by 5.8 per cent when compared to 2010 – meaning 620 fewer victims.
Operation Be A Nice Guy (BANG) aimed to clamp down on public nuisance and anti-social behaviour during the Halloween and Bonfire Night weekends over the last fortnight. Reductions were made in a number of key areas including anti-social behaviour which reduced by 22.9 per cent (499 fewer victims) and criminal damage which went down by 8 per cent (45 fewer incidents).
On Halloween night itself the overall number of incidents reported between 6pm on October 31 and 4am on November 1 went down by 27.7 per cent, (170 fewer victims). And on Bonfire Night, the overall number of incidents reported between 6pm on November 5 and 4am on November 6 went down by 13.5 per cent, which equates to 43 fewer victims.
To support BANG, a range of enforcement, engagement and diversionary activities were organised by community safety partners including Cardiff Council, South Wales Police, Communities First, the British Transport Police and Cardiff Bus to ensure this year’s celebrations passed as peacefully as possible.
These included proactive police patrols to help maintain a high visibility presence in the community. Bobbies travelled on buses to increase public reassurance and prevent the vehicles, their drivers and passengers being targeted by vandals and anti-social behaviour. Targeted clean-up operations by Cardiff Council’s Waste Management section ensured illegally built bonfires and build-up waste were swiftly removed reducing the risk of arson attacks. And a series of test purchase operations was carried out by Cardiff Council Trading Standards to clamp down on unsafe fireworks and the sale of explosives to anyone under the age of 18.
One Trading Standards operation alone resulted in 160kg of fireworks being seized, with an estimated explosive quantity of 33kg and a retail value of £3,260. From a waste management perspective, as well as asking one landowner to remove a pile of waste on his land which took approximately seven full skips to shift; other items removed and, where appropriate, recycled by Cardiff Council’s waste enforcement team included six abandoned mattresses, two double beds, four armchairs, three sofas and various other flammable items such as gas cylinders, palettes, doors and tyres.
Councillor Judith Woodman, Executive Member for Housing, Communities and Social Justice, said: “Since launching in Cardiff six years ago, Operation BANG has gone from strength to strength and can be credited with helping to achieve year-on-year reductions in crime and disorder during this period.
“The campaign is a great example of partnership working especially as in many areas residents and the wider community really get behind the campaign and help us to deliver it locally.
“I hope this year’s results will also help to reassure residents that we take their concerns seriously and we will not tolerate anyone who uses these celebrations as an excuse to act in an anti-social manner.”
Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent Alun Thomas added: “As well as increased and targeted patrols, neighbourhood officers worked hard to arrange activities for youngsters to keep them safe and out of trouble over the Halloween and Bonfire Night period.
“This work was supported by partners such as the local authority and Cardiff Bus and we are delighted that this has contributed to a substantial reduction in the number of anti-social behaviour calls in Cardiff.
“Unfortunately there will always be a small minority who use this time of the year as an excuse to cause trouble and we will not tolerate behaviour which causes distress to our communities.”
Inspector Gary Ash, who is in charge of British Transport Police’s Welsh Neighbourhood Policing Teams, said: “Both our Neighbourhood Teams were actively patrolling the trains and stations across the region during this year’s festivities.
“I am pleased to say there were very few reported incidents of anti-social behaviour and annoyance with fireworks on the railway in the Cardiff area. I am now looking to build on this success during the run up to Christmas.”
