New Tools in the Fight Against Local Low-level Crime

Antisocial behaviour, speeding cars, noise, graffiti, litter vandalism and drugs have never been problems local people feel they could tackle with confidence.

But things are changing after Neighbourhood Action Panels (NAPs) started springing up all over Basildon district. They first arrived in 2007 and are made up of local residents and their organisations who feel they have a contribution to make or who just want to get involved in protecting and improving their neighbourhoods and making them pleasant places to live in.
These include representatives from the local community, tenants associations, children and young people, voluntary agencies, schools, churches and others.

The panels are led by Essex police in partnership with the local community safety partnership (CDRP). They cover a fixed area, hold regular meetings, look closely at problems raised by local people or other community engagement methods, agree on local priorities and decide on realistic and achievable action to deal with them.

The key to their success in drawing in public support has been that although police are involved, they do not run the groups. The target problem areas are decided by local residents themselves.
This sense of ownership and being listened to has given a considerable boost to local confidence in the scheme.

The problems raised will be investigated by the local policing team who will then advise residents on an action plan to tackle them. Priorities are set by the community without influence from the police.

The police, through this support which is making these groups possible, are determined this initiative will not be a talking shop - it is designed to produce firm but considered action to deal with those issues deemed by local people as their priorities.

Basildon’s community safety partnership, a major supporter, has praised the success of the scheme so far. The partnership is encouraging residents to monitor the progress and types of problems being dealt with in their area by clicking on to Essex police’s website.

There they will find area by area coverage of the problems local people have raised, the actions being planned to tackle them and the results.

It will also give information on how to get involved and how to contribute – anonymously if necessary – in raising issues which might be tackled.

Essex police can put local residents in touch with their local neighbourhood specialist officer through their non emergency hotline 0300 333 4444, or via the Essex Police website at www.essex.police.uk.