Inspector’s Blog – A Message from Torfaen Inspector, David Morgan

I’ll start this Blog by reminding people of the dangers officers face every time they commence their duties. On Wednesday 17th February, two of my officers went to Avondale Road where a disturbance was taking place. Two young people were fighting with each other and the officers tried to calm the situation. One of the officers was punched directly in the face and their nose was immediately broken. The other officer sustained a badly bruised elbow as their arm was hit during the struggle. Neither officer would have come to work expecting to be assaulted but it just demonstrates that when some people step backwards, police officers step forward. Thankfully both officers will make a full recovery and both reported for duty the next day. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Also on Wednesday 17th February, I attended the Cwmbran Community Council meeting. As well as providing my report on recent police work, I asked for financial assistance in order to enable a youth project to get off the ground in the Fairwater area. Fairwater Square has been affected by large groups of young people gathering in the evening, and to some the sight of the large group is intimidating. There have been reports of anti-social behaviour taking place too. The neighbourhood policing team have worked hard in this area and we have identified who the main perpetrators of the anti-social behaviour are. In fact, earlier in the day I had met two young offenders who were brought to the police station to meet me by the Youth Offending Service. The two young people were left in no doubt as to the work I would ask my officers to complete if they did not modify their behaviour. I told them that their parents risked losing their homes because of the tenancy agreements they had signed, I outlined to them that injunctions could be applied for and restrictions placed upon them. I reiterated to the two young people that the decision as to whether to comply with the law lay with them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

So, back to Cwmbran Community Council… I was personally very grateful that the council agreed to fund a youth project where Positive Futures and Randomz Youth Workers would take the large groups of children from Fairwater Shops and engage with them at the nearby Leisure Centre. This would reduce the large group in the Fairwater Shops considerably and enable the police service to concentrate on the young people who are determined to continue acting anti-socially. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Last week, Springvale Industrial Estate experienced a number of burglaries. As a result of a vigilant member of the public, a registration number of a car was reported to police. That snippet of information enabled us to identify that the suspects travelled to Cwmbran from the West Midlands area. We were also able to recover stolen property that was valued in excess of £20,000. Arrests have been made and our enquiries continue to locate the evidence needed to charge the offenders. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

I am pleased to report that the issues I have previously spoken about in Greenmeadow seem to be improving. Our patrols continue, but our meetings with the victims and wider community appears to be working well. I have been particularly impressed with the work that Bron Afon have undertaken. They have visited several tenants to advise them that occupants from their households have been identified as being involved in anti-social behaviour. They have reminded the tenants of their obligations by working closely with our key partners, we have been able to obtain an injunction against one particular problematic young person. This young person is now subject to some stringent conditions. They must comply with a curfew and can only be allowed outside after 7pm if they are with one of three named adults. And, when they can be out legitimately during the daytime, they cannot associate with seven named people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Other work in Greenmeadow has been undertaken by Community Support Officer Laura James. She organised a Community Action Day on Friday 19th February. The probation service provided a team from their ‘Community Pay Back Scheme’ to help clean up some of the litter in the Greenmeadow area. Funding for chains to lock wheelie bins to houses was provided by Cwmbran Shopping and B&Q. Bron Afon provided a team to help clean up some gardens and assist with maintenance of properties. All of this was designed to empower the majority to be proud of their community and to turn the tables on the minority that have been causing so many issues over several weeks. I think we have turned the corner and are definitely seeing fewer complaints. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

We’ve had several complaints made about inconsiderate car parking in Blaenavon. We work closely with South Wales Fire and Rescue and one of our biggest concerns is that fire engines will not be able to access an emergency incident because roads are blocked by inconsiderate parking. I understand that much of Blaenavon was built before cars were invented, but no-one has the right to insist that they park outside their own house at the expense of causing unnecessary obstruction. We will try and educate people in the first place but when people repeatedly park inconsiderately, then they can expect to receive parking fines. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As I type this Blog, I am working a Night Shift. Officers from Torfaen have been patrolling Blaenavon because we have been experiencing some acquisitive crime at the northern end of the Afon Lwyd Valley. In the early hours, officers spotted a man acting suspiciously as he ducked behind a car. They stopped him and decided to use their Stop and Search powers. They found him to be in possession of tools that could be used to break into cars, including one item that had been adapted to break glass. As I type, he has been arrested and will be interviewed in the morning in relation to the allegation that he was going equipped to steal. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Finally, following feedback on my Blog, I have altered the font colour from blue to black. I was advised that older members of the community might struggle to read the blue font hence the reason I have made the change. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Thank you for taking the time to read this instalment, until next time, please follow the teams on Twitter @gpcwmbran and @gppontypool for more local policing updates. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Inspector David Morgan
Torfaen
01633 838111 Ext 743 2521
david.g.morgan@gwent.pnn.police.uk ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​