On Monday the 13th May a 6 month trial of a new ‘Safety Service’, made up of a Police Community Support Officer from North Yorkshire Police and a Community Safety Officer from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, took to the roads around Bedale, Richmond and Colburn.
The new Safety Service will test out how North Yorkshire Police and Fire and Rescue can work better together in the interests of local people. The new service will deliver community safety advice, practical help and reassurance to local people, especially those in most need, including the elderly and vulnerable.
Activities will include joint home fire safety and crime prevention visits, along with the promotion of joint safety campaigns such as the dangers of alcohol, both in terms of alcohol related crime and alcohol related fires.
Julia Mulligan, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire said:
I am committed to reducing harm across North Yorkshire and helping people feel more secure. Working with our partners at Fire and Rescue in this way will increase the focus on personal safety and making homes safer, as well as preventing crime and anti-social behaviour.
We are using this pilot to learn more about how the two services can work in partnership to the benefit of local communities and individuals. We will look at what does or doesn’t work through the six month period, changing and developing the partnership as it progresses.
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Chairman of the Fire Authority, Councillor Fort commented:
This is a pilot partnership between North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and North Yorkshire Police that will build on established community safety work and act as a pathfinder to develop new ways of improving and expanding our service to the community and deliver a greater confidence in the services we provide.
Local Inspector Mark Gee from North Yorkshire Police said:
This is an excellent opportunity for us to effectively engage with our communities to provide crime and safety advice and I see this as being a real advantage to local residents and businesses. As we continue to drive down crime and anti social behaviour even further, this venture will allow us to engage with all of our communities and will give us a better understanding of local issues, allowing us all to work together to find the best way of resolving these.
Group Manager for Hambleton and Richmondshire, Dave Pitt, from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service added:
This is an excellent opportunity for our two Services to develop existing community safety work to enhance the services we provide in safeguarding the local communities.
