Next CAM Meeting: 6 March, 7pm., St Johns Church
Hartford residents invited to have their say
HARTFORD residents want local police to put their foot down against problem parking and speeding motorists.
Around 20 residents went along to the latest (Jan 11) Community Action Meeting (CAM) led by Police Community Support Officer Karen Nixon to register their views on the issues they have concerns about.
They changed the focus from anti-social behaviour, which was the last priority area, and Karen will work with her Northwich Community Action Team (CAT) police officer colleagues to address the priority area for the next few weeks.
Karen said: “It’s very reassuring to see the residents turning out to have their say as I feel it shows a degree of support for the police. I’m also pleased the priority issue has changed as I feel this means people are happy with the progress made in tackling the last area of concern.
“I’m confident over the coming weeks the operations we put in place to tackle speeding and parking problems will be just as effective and deliver results which allay peoples’ concerns.”
Progress made by Karen and the CAT will be reported back to residents at the next CAM which will take place in around two months’ time.
To find out more about the CAM process in Hartford contact PCSO Karen Nixon on 0845 458 6392. Please note this is a recording facility which allows callers to leave messages for the CAT. Messages are regularly checked and responded to.
How’s it Been in Hartford?
August 2, 2006
HISTORY was made in Hartford in May 2005 when Vale Royal’s first ever parish council-funded Police Community Support Officer started pounding the beat.
More than 12-months on, former off-licence manager Karen Nixon talks about what life is like working alongside residents and local police and partner agencies in the campaign against crime.
“I worked in Northwich before taking up this post so I had a fairly good idea of what life is like in the community. I wanted to build on that knowledge and a get a greater understanding of Hartford issues and felt it was important to get my face out and about in the community, getting to know people.
“Obviously, there are always new people to meet but I think I’m a pretty familiar face nowadays. I know loads of locals and have regular contact with people from pretty much all walks of life in the village. This is a real bonus when it comes to getting a feel for what the problems are and the impact they are having.”
So what issues has the mother-of-two got stuck into since joining the Northwich Neighbourhood Policing Unit Community Action Team? Quite a few it seems.
“The past year has been a very busy one. After finding my feet I was keen to start working with residents, councillors and my colleagues in the CAT, to identify the problems having an impact on the quality of life in Hartford. I’m pleased to say this has led to many successes.”
In the past few months Karen has:
- Alleviated nuisance youth problems around the Co-op in Bradburns Lane Park, the local cricket club and St John's Churchyard through partnership working with local businesses, residents, parents and youngsters.
- Tackled nuisance youth problems using alcohol and drug seizure powers.
- Addressed problems of nuisance and illegal off-road motorbike by seizing vehicles from persistent offenders.
- Dealt with concerns about traffic-related issues using operations involving speed detection, penalty notices and warnings.
- Improved communication and security processes at Hartford Campus through the launch of a Campus Watch scheme.
- Worked with youngsters to clean up a local hang-out spot.
These are just some of the efforts Karen is making and they are paying off. Many people in the community say she is making a difference and she is often greeted with a smile and thank you.
Hartford High School site manager Peter Mahoney said: “Karen does a great job. Whenever there are problems at the site Karen is straight here if she’s on duty. Even when she’s not around, I know I can get a message to her and she gets in touch as soon as she’s on duty.
“The great thing is, Karen has good local knowledge of all the issues. This is a real help when you are trying to find solutions to problems because Karen is aware of all the factors that are contributing to an issue. It’s definitely a bonus having a PCSO to work with.”
Karen’s work over the next 12 months depends largely on the information from the community. Crime trends also play a part as Karen explains.
“Each shift starts with a briefing from a sergeant. The briefing is all about what’s been reported the previous shift. This means I have good knowledge of all things happening in Hartford. I can then ensure the work I’m doing is focused on any problems which may be occurring.
“At the same time, I also stay on top of the issues which have been raised by the community through things like meetings with local community groups, the regular Community Action Meetings which I run and the general feedback I get as I’m out and about on patrol. In short, there’s always a lot to think about and plenty of work to do.
“Fortunately, there are some really good relationships between the police, members of the public and other local authorities and organisations. Everyone is committed to keeping Hartford a safe, secure and enjoyable place to be and everyone is involved in lots of work to achieve that.
“That doesn’t mean more help isn’t needed. We need as many eyes and ears in the community as possible and I’m keen to hear from anyone who has any policing issues they wish to discuss. I am here for everyone in the community and I will do all I can to help.
“Crime is something which will not be tolerated and the more people we have working to clampdown on criminal issues, the more effective we can be.”
Karen can be contacted on 0845 458 6392. This is a voicemail facility which allows callers to leave a message for officers any time of the day or night. All messages are regularly checked and responded to.
