The officers behind the Prowess

FORCEWIDE

You may have heard of ‘hotspot’ policing which involves targeting activities in our community where concerns have been raised by residents about crime in their area.

In policing, we love an operation name, and hotspot policing in our area is locally known as Op Prowess. This is nothing new for our officers, it’s all part of daily business, but it allows for additional resources and the funding to put proactive, problem-solving policing into practice in the right areas at the right times.

As part of our Safer Streets Summer campaign, we caught up with the brains behind the prowess to learn more about what they’ve been up to and how multiple teams with a whole host of skillsets come together to make a difference where you live and work.

Whilst the focus of Op Prowess is on areas of communities across our force most effected by crime, ‘hotspot’ policing primarily aims to tackle crimes such as anti-social behaviour, knife crime, and serious violence.

By identifying these ‘hotspots’, dedicated officers are then deployed to these areas to assist in significantly reducing the crime levels through a problem-orientated policing approach.

Using high visibility foot patrols to deter criminals from operating in these areas and arresting them, are just a couple of ways of significantly reducing crime, but there’s so much more to it, and Op Prowess works really closely with our Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) and Neighbourhood Policing teams (NPTs) to make a tangible difference and ultimately get to the root of the problems.

Heading up our hotspot policing operation is Sergeant Zoe Tucker from our Community Safety Unit. She explains:“Hotspot policing means giving extra attention to areas in our community where people have raised concerns about crime.

“We use local crime data and community feedback to pinpoint the places where a visible policing presence can have the greatest impact.

“We're taking a problem-oriented approach to understand what's driving criminal behaviour, working closely with our partners to tackle the root causes, not just the symptoms. By being out in the community, listening and engaging, we’re also able to identify other issues that may need addressing.

“We then liaise with our colleagues from CRU to see what tactical measures can be put in place to tackle the issues and ultimately prevent them from happening in the first place.

“In May and June this year alone, 159 intel reports have been submitted, leading to 21 arrests for multiple offences such assault, possession of Class B drugs, criminal damage and public order, as well as conducting 40 stop searches.”

Once the issues are understood and a root cause is established, a strategy is then developed jointly with the NPTs, Designing Out Crime Officers from the CRU, and partnering agencies like local councils and housing authorities to prevent, enforce, and reduce crime within that community.

Crime Reduction Constable James Steel added: “The CRU is a proactive team who offer a whole host of crime prevention advice and tips to help prevent people becoming victims of crime in the first place.

“Not only this but working alongside Op Prowess and local policing teams allows us to offer that crucial tactical advice to officers who are at the heart of the communities and understand their needs, leading to putting different measures in place such as solar security lighting, additional CCTV cameras, secure gates, window and door jammers, and locks for maximum security in areas that do see repeat problems.

“My colleagues review planning applications and assess designs of housing developments and commercial premises too, making it as hard as possible for criminals to gain access to houses, businesses, belongings and vehicles.

“We also conduct something called Environmental Visual Audits under the Safer Streets project which so far has been launched in hotspot areas like Pearson Park in Hull, East and West Marsh in Grimsby, and urban areas in Scunthorpe.”

Proactive policing, having a visible presence, and regularly engaging with our communities is key to our success, and we are able to make a tangible difference because of the information provided to us from members of the public.

Because of this information a number of misuse of drugs warrants have been conducted leading to two arrests, stolen property, and drugs being recovered. In the East Marsh in Grimsby alone, 520 homes have been made safer, 30 alleyways cleared of rubbish and tidied of overgrowth, 11 tonnes of waste removed, 16 new alley gates installed, 14 alley locks repaired, 11 new CCTV cameras installed, and three new lighting improvements.

Working with local Neighbourhood Policing Teams and Humberside Fire and Rescue Services we’ve also seen a reduction in arson after we identified issues with wheelie bins being set alight. The CRU reviewed the park and picked out issues like bins overflowing, residents storing bins in their front gardens, and proximity and accessibility of the bins to the park.

Funding was secured by Humberside Fire and Rescue Services to offer local residents chains for their bins to secure them and prevent them from being moved into the park and used anti socially, and teams have also looked at cutting down hedges to improve visibility along with recommendations for the installation of new lighting and CCTV to make it feel safer and more secure.

Pearson Park in Hull has seen additional CCTV installed, and local students have planted flowers and foliage giving them pride in where they live, encouraging positivity in an effort to keep them off the streets, and making the area more attractive.

Zoe Tucker concludes: “Sometimes this work does lead to arrests, but that’s not the sole purpose of hotspot policing, which is why PCSOs, wider neighbourhood teams, and crime reduction officers are crucial to this whole process.

“They know the communities more than anyone else, having built rapport and trust with the residents to encourage and empower them to come forward, speak to us, engage with us, and most importantly, report more concerns and suspicions to us. They know what works, what doesn’t, and what’s needed depending on the area.

“Hotspot policing has reduced overall crime and disorder within our community by 4.5%, that’s a massive 924 fewer incidents, and by developing more tailored solutions and no ‘one size fits all approach’, it is clear that this approach has a more long-term sustainable effect in reducing crime.”

Find out more about what our Neighbourhood Policing Teams are getting up to as part of Safer Streets Summer.