Wrexham Halloween And Bonfire Operation Success

This year’s operation to make the period leading up to Halloween and Bonfire Night in the Wrexham area safe and generally free of anti-social behaviour has been hailed a success by local officers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Operation Bang ran in wards across Wrexham in the two weeks to Halloween and Bonfire Night and involved a concerted effort by the emergency services and the council to spread safety messages, while offering local youths the opportunity to take part in useful and rewarding activities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The programme included diversionary activities as teams engaged with youths to educate and work with communities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This ranged from community litter picks to delivering services at OAP groups in places such as Acton, so the youths could understand the differing views of Halloween and Bonfire. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In Caia Park the Police Safer Neighbourhood Team and Youth Services took part in challenges and competitions with youngsters, while in Rhosddu local youths spent two weeks preparing for an evening called “Spooky School’’ where residents could learn to craft items with a Halloween theme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The ‘CatsPaw Theatre’, an interactional theatre group, delivered educational performances and dealt with the dangers of arson and anti-social behaviour. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

These activities were backed up by a social media campaign on firework safety and the dangers of arson. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This coincided with the launch of a specially commissioned film, Burning Your Future, which is part of a long-running campaign to tackle the problem of arson in the area over recent years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chief Inspector Dave Jolly said; “I am pleased at the way the people behaved over Halloween and Bonfire Night. Thankfully we had very few reports of anti-social behaviour. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Between October 24 and November 7 we had reports of three bin fires, three unofficial bonfires and a hedge fire. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our Safer Neighbourhood Teams having been working hard with local communities and we had a positive response from many local youths. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“However, we need to continue to drive home the messages that not only are arson and anti-social behaviour not acceptable, but that the consequences for our communities and for those who involved in such activities can be very serious.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​