A major safety overhaul is underway in Nottingham to crackdown on burglary thanks to a six-figure Home Office grant.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry has secured £432k from the Government’s Safer Streets Fund to invest in safety improvements in the Arboretum and Lenton Triangle areas of Nottingham.
The funding is being invested in a raft of security upgrades and additional policing to reduce the fear of crime and prevent households and individuals falling victim to criminals.
Commissioner Henry is working together with a team of partners including Nottinghamshire Police and Nottingham City Council as part of an ambitious strategy to make Nottingham safer.
Commissioner Henry said: “This is a significant amount of money and will make a real difference to people’s safety at home and in public places.
“People living in Arboretum and Lenton Triangle have told us burglary is their number one concern and this project is about taking robust action to address their fears.
“I have promised to listen to local people and act on what they tell me. Not only will this project equip residents with the physical security improvements they need to make them safe, it will also deliver increased visible policing in key areas – this is what everybody wants.
“We will work together as one team to stop criminals bringing misery to our communities. Nottinghamshire deserves the very best resources to protect its residents and I am determined to make that happen.”
Cllr Neghat Khan, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods, Safety and Inclusion at Nottingham City Council, said: “It’s really positive news that this funding has been secured and will go towards making a real difference in Arboretum and Lenton Triangle.
“No one should have to live in fear of their home being targeted by burglars, so I hope that the great work that will be carried out with this funding will make residents feel safer. We pleased to be a key partner of the project and look forward to working with the Police and Crime Commissioner to deliver real change in those neighbourhoods.”
Chief Inspector Amy English, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Burglary is a key priority in the area and this funding boost will help us build on the excellent work being done by officers from Radford Road police station already.
“As part of this, officers will be visiting residents in Arboretum and Lenton Triangle to understand their concerns and encourage them to sign up to Nottinghamshire Alert, our system for making residents aware of incidents in their area and crime prevention advice. There will be increased presence of uniformed officers working hard to prevent burglary before it happens.
“People may also get a visit from their dedicated burglary officer too. They will be on hand to provide crime prevention advice and address any worries people may have.”
Residents living in the Arboretum and Lenton Triangle consistently identify burglary as their greatest crime concern in annual crime and antisocial behaviour surveys in the city. This is the case for people aged under 24 and those over.
The Safer Streets project will fund:
- Free security upgrades at up to 500 residential properties in the area including previous burglary victims and neighbouring properties. Improvements will be based on risk and vulnerability and could include new window and door locks, window alarms, external PIR lights, external PIR activated CCTV, repairs or security improvements to doors and windows, and where beneficial repairs to gates/perimeter fencing.
- Free Ring doorbell devices to up to 375 student properties in the area.
- Installation of CCTV camera in Bridlington Park which will be live-monitored at the City’s CCTV control room.
- A Burglary Reduction Officer post to liaise with burglary victims/neighbours to undertake risk assessments.
- Enhanced Policing focused on key crime types by local neighbourhood policing teams and a ‘day of action’ every month for the next 10 months to disrupt, deter and prevent criminality in the area and develop local intelligence.
- Recruitment of Community Champions through Nottingham City Council to engage with wider community and student population.
- Proactive policing through Operation Graduate to protect safety of students returning to the city and help prevent burglaries.
- Drive to encourage local take-up of Nottinghamshire Alert.