Not in My Neighbourhood Week - Get involved!

Neighbourhood Policing Teams across Sussex are organising a host of events and activities to support Not in My Neighbourhood Week (NIMNW) - a dedicated week of activity to raise public awareness of the work being done by local agencies to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

NIMNW runs from November 2nd to 6th and aims to reassure residents that the issues which matter most to them are being addressed by the police and their partnership agencies. Another key aim is to encourage the public to get involved with the wide range of initiatives which take place in their area throughout the year.

In Brighton a vintage bus will be touring the city during NIMNW. Representatives from a wide variety of local agencies will be on board and available to listen to the concerns of local people. The bus will be driven by Special Constable Gary Foster, who works as a bus driver as his ‘day job'. The passengers on Gary's bus, which has kindly been donated for the week by the Brighton & Hove Bus Company, will include colleagues from the Drug and Alcohol Action Team, housing officers, animal welfare officers, pension services, Crimestoppers, community wardens and trading standards, to name just some.

Other activities in Brighton & Hove include the Communities Against Drugs and Graffiti Team focusing on problems such as street drinking, cycling along the promenade, dog fouling and graffiti. In Hove, Neighbourhood Policing Teams are organising 'youth days' in order to tackle truancy.

A wide range of NIMNW activities are taking place across East Sussex. In Hastings, the Safer Hastings Partnership is producing two films during the week on the subjects of underage drinking and anti-social behaviour. Young people from Hastings have been working with professional film-makers to develop ideas for the films.

Activities in East Sussex include an enhanced ‘Blitz' operation in Eastbourne, a Sussex Police initiative to tackle anti-social behaviour in the town. Activities in Rother include a clean-up of graffiti and litter in Rye, and a NIMNW roadshow which will visit Bexhill, Battle and Rye. Visitors to the roadshow stand will be able to learn about schemes such as property marking, Neighbourhood Watch and the ‘Immobilise' crime prevention system.

In Arun a Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership roadshow will be touring during the week. The roadshow will include representatives from Sussex Police, West Sussex Fire & Rescue (WSFR), Arun District Council Community Safety Officers, Crime Prevention Officers and Neighbourhood Watch members, who will all be on hand to chat to members of the public. Operation Sparkler, a joint initiative between the Arun Neighbourhood Policing Teams and WSFR to crack down on anti-social behaviour involving fireworks, will also be in full swing during NIMNW.

NIMNW activities in Worthing include a ‘Scooby Doo' event, where the ghosthunting dog will be joined by NPT officers handing out No Trick or Treat flyers to vulnerable members of the community. In keeping with the Halloween theme, PCSOs in Chichester will be visiting schools and youth groups across the district to promote responsible and considerate behaviour during the Halloween and Bonfire season.

In Mid Sussex officers from the local Neighbourhood Policing Teams and representatives from partner agencies will be visiting Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath and East Grinstead to offer help and advice. The NIMNW roadshows will be at Tesco, Burgess Hill, from 8am to 2pm on Tuesday November 3rd, Sainsbury's, Haywards Heath, from 3pm to 6pm on Tuesday November 3rd and Sainsbury's, East Grinstead, from 2.30pm to 6pm on Wednesday November 4th.

Activities in Horsham include a purse theft surgery and a ‘Beatsweep' initiative targeting anti-social behaviour issues highlighted by local residents. Beatsweep is operated in conjunction with Horsham District Council and Housing to address a number of concerns raised at local panel meetings.

In Crawley the wide range of NIMNW activities include a youth night at the K2 On Friday 6th November, a Community Safety Team event at Bewbush County Primary School on November 2nd and the launch of a No Cold Calling zone at The Twittens in West Green. Crawley Neighbourhood Watch will be attending most NIMNW events to offer advice.

Assistant Chief Constable Robin Merrett said: "The key message from Sussex Police is that there is a dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team working in your neighbourhood to keep you safe. They serve Sussex by working with local people and communities to identify and address local concerns.

"NIMNW is a great opportunity to demonstrate the work being done across Sussex throughout the year by a wide range of partners to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and substance misuse. These activities are happening week in and week out to help ensure local communities are safe and feel safe."

To find out about the NIMNW activities taking place in your area you can visit the Sussex Police website - www.sussex.police.uk. Just type in your post code to find who your local officers are, how you can contact them and what they are doing to serve your neighbourhood.

News Source: Sussex Police

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