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👮♂️Message from your local officer 👮♂️ |
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Good Evening everyone,
The sun has finally made an appearance and it looks like we’re in for a bright weekend ahead, which is brilliant news, although it brings problems of its own from a policing perspective. It's been a busy few weeks, much of it centred around crime prevention and problem solving across the Baffins area.
St Marys House – Site Visit 🏢
As many of you know, I have been working with Vivid Homes to address several ongoing issues at St Mary’s House. These include anti-social behaviour, young people gaining access to the building and using drugs, and members of the homeless community sleeping in communal areas. They are able to gain access to the blocks due to broken communal doors.
I therefore escalated the matter to our local councillors, who took it forward with Vivid’s senior team. This led to a site visit earlier this month with Cllr Darren Sanders, representatives from Vivid and myself. The visit allowed me to show the problems first hand, discuss the impact on residents, and work together on potential solutions.
A follow-up meeting with partner agencies has since taken place and I am informed that repair work has now been raised. Vivid Homes are exploring options to repair or replace the affected doors, along with additional measures to help resolve the issues. I will update you as soon as I have more information .
I do not think that it is fair residents are experiencing these issues, especially when (in my view) the solution is so simple. You should be able to return to the comfort of your own home without having to deal with this. St Marys House – Residents Association Meeting 🤝
I was also invited to attend the St Marys House residence meeting this evening, which was held at the Stacey Centre. Thank you to everyone who attended and raised your concerns with me. Bike Theft – Baffins and the wider City 🚲🔒
We continue to see a number of motorbikes and mopeds stolen in the Baffins area and across the city. In a previous message, I highlighted the importance of a good quality lock and trackers on your bike, should finances allow. I cannot stress enough just how important these are.
Those stealing the bikes are targeting motorbikes without locks, sometimes stealing the same bike on numerous occasions over the year. I am very much alive to the fact that bikes, even with locks, are still being stolen, but a good quality lock gives us a better chance to catch them in the act and stop your bikes being taken. Moorings Way 🚗
While carrying out enquiries along Moorings Way, residents raised concerns about abandoned vehicles, poor parking around junctions and bus stops, and potential obstructions. I have passed these concerns to Portsmouth City Council and our local councillors, who have confirmed that plans are being developed to address the issue so watch this space. Eastern Road 🛣️
Parking concerns have also been raised at one of the blocks on Eastern Road, particularly regarding lorries parking up, leaving items behind, and causing general disruption. This matter is currently being reviewed by Portsmouth City Council and local councillors, with several options under consideration.
Although parking issues are not always a policing matter, I want to stay informed about what is happening across Baffins. In most cases, the council or landowner is the lead agency, but there are circumstances where police powers can be used to remove vehicles. NTE / Firearms Deployment (Southsea) 🚓
It was our team’s turn to patrol the pubs and clubs last weekend, and it was certainly a busy one. On Saturday night, a colleague and I stopped several drivers for questionable driving. One driver provided a positive roadside breath test and was arrested. At the station, an evidential sample showed he was over twice the legal limit, and he has now been charged to appear in court in the coming weeks.
On Sunday night, while we were de-kitting the car, officers requested urgent assistance in Southsea after locating a male in the street with a weapon. Given the volatile nature of the situation, a significant police presence attended initially, including several of us trained to carry Taser. Our Firearms Unit, supported by the Dog Unit, quickly took control thereafter and brought the incident to a safe conclusion. In fairness, a load of cops pointing guns at you and a large, loud Belgian Malinois dog keen to come and say hello usually encourages compliance. News from the Team 📢
The wider team has also been busy charging several shoplifters for offences across our area, recovering stolen vehicles during patrols, attending Portsmouth College for one of our regular drop-ins, and supporting our District Policing team in responding to 999 calls across the city. As always, feel free to reach out to discuss any concerns.
Please note: do not report crimes in action directly to me. Please report them via 101 or 999 depending on the urgency. | ||
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