Safer Neighbourhood Teams – Working In Partnership To Target The Issues That Matter The Most

North Wales Police has 10 Safer Neighbourhood teams dedicated to improving the quality of life within local communities by working with partners to tackle the issues that matter the most to local people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Working in partnership with local communities, councils, businesses and organisations Safer Neighbourhood teams make sure that people get a real say in deciding the priorities for the area in which they live and work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Assistant Chief Constable Richard Debicki said: “Safer Neighbourhoods is a commitment by North Wales Police to provide a visible presence in our local communities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s a style of policing which relies on good relationships with our partners and the public and gives everyone a chance to have their say on what matters to them. It means that wherever you live or work in North Wales there is a dedicated Safer Neighbourhood Team on hand, helping to make your area safer.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The teams are committed to a specific neighbourhood and are a mix of Police Officers and Police Community Support Officers supported by response and other specialist officers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

ACC Debicki said: “What matters to local people matters to us, our aim is to deliver a service that is visible, accessible and responsive to what communities need. “ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Prestatyn’s Safer Neighbourhood Team, led by Sargeant Mark Jones, were recently recognised by the town council for the sterling work they do to keep the community safe. The team, which is based in the town but also covers Meliden, extend an open invitation each month to local people to join them for a cuppa with a copper at a local café. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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The latest was at M&S when ACC Debicki joined them. He said: “This is an ideal opportunity for us to offer crime prevention advice and for anyone with concerns or who would like to get involved with our work, to talk direct to the team. This is a truly local policing style which gets results.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The initiative is supported by retailers and the local council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Bob Murray, the town’s deputy Mayor and a Denbighshire County Councillor, said: “Cuppa with a copper is a brilliant idea. The team is very much community minded, they’re out and about in the area, people now know them by name and that is important. They have gained trust because people know them.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sarah Parker, Manager at M&S Prestatyn, said: “One of our values as a company is keeping in touch with the local community and cuppa with a copper represents all that this value stands for. It keeps us in touch with local services and local people. Customers and staff alike enjoy having it here.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Prestatyn’s Cuppa with a Copper is also held at Tesco café and will soon be starting up at the Scala Café. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Details on how to contact any of the Safer Neighbourhood teams, along with information about meetings and events, is available on the North Wales Police website www.north-wales.police.uk. Go to the Safer Neighbourhood page and either select your area or do a postcode search to see your local team. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

You can also connect with our Safer Neighbourhood teams via social media. All 10 teams are on Facebook and many officers have twitter accounts. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​