Hub’s fight against crime in community

Copeland Focus, which is based on the second floor of Whitehaven Police Station, was launched almost three years ago.

It enables agencies to work in one place and address key issues including substance misuse, licensing, modern day slavery, domestic abuse and anti-social behaviour.

The hub works with agencies including housing associations, mental health teams at the hospital and the council.

Louise Coid, Copeland Hub manager, said: “We have our monthly partners meeting where we set our priorities for the month using data from the police and our partners, so we can look at it all collectively. We agree on what our priority areas are, we also agree who our priority subjects are and if there are any emerging issues that we should be aware of.”

A Copeland Focus Facebook page has also been set up, which acts as a virtual community drop-in desk, allowing police to have a means of communication within the community.

Inspector Richard Smillie said: “From a police point of view, part of our engagement strategy is to be open and honest with people and making sure that people are involved with what’s going on in their area. On the back of that, we want to seek feedback from people in terms of the issues we are putting on there in the first place.”

Ms Coid said they had recently been tackling issues around drinking in St Nicholas’ Gardens and a public space protection order has been put in place, which bans people from drinking on the streets.

Insp Smillie said: “Anti-social behaviour in the town centre has reduced, which is great. We have had some really positive feedback which is brilliant because it shows things are working. We’re focusing on the key priority areas as a result of our community engagement. St Nicholas’ Gardens was one of those.

“We’re mindful that by heavily policing St Nicholas’ Gardens which has had brilliant results, we could move the problem elsewhere. So we’ve increased signage in other areas now to help prevent that. When all the signs are up we should be in a position to fully enforce it.”

Insp Smillie said the team had also been working to reduce drug problems in Copeland.

“Our proactive team have been working really closely with other agencies and other departments within the police to make sure we’re targeting a drug issue highlighted by the community.

“As a result of stop searches on the streets and warrants on people’s houses, we have arrested numerous people and charged people. We’re looking at that from a multi-agency point of view so a lot of the issues have been drug use in premises as well, so we are working with our housing partners and the council to help deal with those with injunctions and evictions.

“That’s a problem that’s still there – we haven’t resolved that one yet but certainly it’s got better. We do ensure that there’s a targeted approach to our patrol, if there’s a particular address or location, with the limited resources that we’ve got.”

Insp Smillie said a rise in the precept had allowed the hub to tackle issues raised by the public.

“We’ve got less officers than we had but the change with the precept has really helped us a lot to retain police officers on the front line and help us target those issues that the community is raising.”

Ms Coid added: “I think all of the services have been affected with the cuts. All agencies have got less officers and that’s why it’s important that we work together collaboratively and help each other and also that we prioritise so we know where to put our resources.”

Insp Smillie said: “A lot of what we do is prevention as well. It’s not just reaction to things. We try and prevent things through speaking to people, finding out where areas of risk may be. Trying to identify that early so we can intervene early and keep people safe.”

A community drop-in day is to be held at St Nicholas’ Church in Whitehaven on September 10, from 10am to 1.30pm.

People will be able to raise issues with representatives from the different agencies involved with the hub.