Ryedales police chief has outlined the priorities of the force and its partners in the coming year. Alongside its crime-fighting duties, Inspector Andy Everitt said the focus during 2015 would be on supporting the vulnerable across the district whether they be victims of domestic violence, people with mental health issues or women who may find themselves at risk after becoming intoxicated.
It follows a year in which Ryedale maintained its place as one of the safest places to live in England with one of the big crime successes being a 28 per cent drop in burglaries. The nature of policing is changing for Ryedale police it is becoming smarter and more sensitive, said Insp Everitt on Friday. It is about managing vulnerable people and vulnerable situations mental health, children at risk, legal highs the list is endless. As well as the traditional forms of criminality, our focus is supporting vulnerable people.
During his tenure as Ryedales police commander, one of Insp Everitts main aims has been to reduce violent incidents in the night-time economy, particularly in Malton and Norton. And although there were two nasty assaults in Malton town centre over the Christmas period, both of which saw the suspects arrested and charged, the feedback is that weekend nights are feeling safer for customers.
It has been helped by the re-introduction of the Malton and Norton Pub Watch scheme in which anyone who causes a nuisance is banned from every licensed establishment in the twin towns. A pub watch scheme is now due to start in Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside to also complement the long-running, successful operation in Pickering. Insp Everitt said: Now we have three schemes running, we are exploring the possibility of a banned from one pub, banned from all policy. I dont want to experience displacement from Malton and Norton Pub Watch by banning one individual and then see they are going to Pickering.
Another step is to offer vulnerability training for door staff, licensees and bar staff in the coming year. It will highlight the issue of vulnerability for people in the night-time economy and how it relates to incidents that may occur inside or outside the pub and how staff can prevent incidents occurring, such as excessive drink, safe guarding issues around vulnerable females who may be intoxicated, the presence of predatory males who may seek out these people and asking those difficult questions when things are not quite right. We want to encourage them to take positive action by contacting ourselves or the Street Angels so we can intervene.
Similar training has recently been introduced to around 60 licensees in Whitby and plans are now underway to speak to Ryedales pub workers, show them a video of different scenarios and talk them through how to deal with issues that arise.
Photograph and story (edited) courtesy of Malton and Pickering Mercury www.maltonmercury.co.uk
