As part our ongoing commitment to keep our community up to date with what’s going on within Newton Aycliffe Neighbourhood Policing team we have decided to create this weekly blog which will feature a different member of staff each week, giving updates on what going on in the town and what we are doing to combat the issues.
As many of you are aware, we have ongoing problems with Anti-Social Behaviour in the Western Area of Newton Aycliffe and over recent weeks we have seen an increase in this type of behaviour. These complaints range from youth nuisance to off road bikes. I want you all to know that we are fully committed in tackling these issues, as I know that they are having a huge impact on your quality of life. At this moment in time we are working closely with our partners in building a project which will enable us to engage with the young people causing these issues and look at diverting them away from their current offending. As part of our Problem Solving approach, we have been speaking with the young people in order to get an understanding of why they are committing acts of ASB and what we can do to reduce their offending. They all highlight the same thing “lack of things to do” This forms one of our main objectives of the project which will be named “The PIER Project” Pier standing for Prevention, Intervention, Enforcement and Rehabilitation. The project will enable us to engage with the young people positively, educate them around their offending and look at building a series of mini projects where they give back to the community. For me its all about encouraging the young people to take pride in their community.
This week the team has interviewed 14 young people under caution for their role in some of this ASB across the Western area and the town centre. The majority will now be working with youth offending. There has also been 2 arrests made.
The beat team also carried out a Magistrates search warrant on and address in Winterburn Place, where a quantity of drugs were recovered and 2 males were arrested. Again, this was on the back of invaluable intelligence from local residents.
I want you all to know that we are fully committed in tackling these issues head on. That being said I would welcome members of our community to contact me on the email address below if you have ideas that you think may help, or if you want to get involved in the Pier project.
I have worked Newton Aycliffe now for 14 years, the main reason for this is that I love the strength of our community. Whenever we have problems, we all pull together to resolve them. This is something I have always admired. Please continue to work alongside us, together we are stronger. Stay safe x
michael.welch@durham.pnn.police.uk
