PCC/OPCC Update Bulletin

A message from Mark – Hi everyone, I hope you are all keeping safe and well. It’ll be two weeks tomorrow since the lockdown restrictions were last eased enabling more opportunity to spend time with family and friends, going back to the high street and finally having an opportunity for a proper haircut amongst other things! The response to these changes and continuation of following public health guidelines from the vast majority of people in West Yorkshire has been solid. However, we all still have such an important role in being cautious and treating the virus as the serious threat that it still is and avoiding the risk of any local lockdowns. We have hit a few exciting milestones over the last 2 weeks including my Safer Communities Fund now reaching £3.4m of monies being allocated to more than 750 groups and projects across West Yorkshire since its creation in 2014. Also Neighbourhood Watch in West Yorkshire celebrating its 35th anniversary, and whilst we’re on the subject I’d just like to reiterate my thanks to all Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators and groups throughout the county, whose hard work and dedication helps to keep our communities safe. This week also saw the National Day of Remembrance for victims of ‘honour’ based abuse. This is an important date and a chance to ensure we are raising awareness of all the support out there to help anyone who finds themselves in such an awful situation. The national Victims Commissioner Dame Vera Baird recently released her annual report, and I was very pleased to be featured in there from when we launched our West Yorkshire Victims and Witnesses Strategy. The Strategy outlines seven objectives to raise awareness of what is available, including to victims who do not report to the police, to get the initial response from the police and others right first time, every time, and to increase overall confidence in the criminal justice system.

Significant other areas of work included my chairing a Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB) meeting where we continue to work towards partnership Covid-19 recovery plans, and a meeting of the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel which was live streamed on YouTube earlier today and picked up on work to work around the policing and community safety response to COVID-19, our commissioning services strategy and various work in tackling and preventing violence in our communities. I hope you all enjoy the weekend in a sensible socially distanced way, thankfully it looks as though the weather is changing for the better too, it’s not really felt like summer so far this month so enjoy the outdoors when you can. Best wishes and stay safe.

Mark Burns-Williamson OBE West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner

New Police Constable Degree Apprentices have started their training

Protecting the frontline is a key commitment of mine so I was very pleased to welcome nearly 80 new Police Constable Degree Apprentices who started their training for West Yorkshire Police this week. This recruitment is in part due to the ongoing support of our communities through the investment I have raised locally via the police element of council tax, so a big thank you to the public of West Yorkshire for playing their part.

Recruitment will open once again for budding officers to join West Yorkshire Police’s Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship scheme on Monday 27 July. To find out more about becoming a Police Officer, visit the West Yorkshire Police website https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/jobs-volunteer/police-officers/police-officers

Safer Communities Fund hits £3.4m My Safer Communities Fund, which launched in 2014, has now allocated £3.4m worth of funding to more than 750 groups and projects throughout West Yorkshire directly helping the communities they live in through many varied initiatives. The figure was reached following the latest round of the fund which saw 34 projects being awarded more than £180,000 to help their communities tackle crime, anti-social behaviour and address wider community safety themes. The SCF monies come from cash and assets taken under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) by the Police and prosecutors from criminals and then ploughed back into many of the communities affected by crime in the first place. Time and again I have been humbled and blown away by some of the fantastic work being undertaken by people who care passionately about their communities and want to make a real difference on the ground and to people’s lives. With this funding they can make that vital difference ensuring people are safe and feel safe and hope that in many cases it’s literally provided a lifeline for many organisations and communities.

A group photo from the awards evening of grant round 17 of the Safer Communities Fund – taken on 13th February 2020.

Safeguarding is everyone’s business campaign

The campaign has been developed with partners to raise awareness of the increased risk to children and young people during the COVID-19 crisis. It also highlights the signs to look for that there may be a young person that needs help. These signs are aimed at everyone who may come into contact with households and have concerns. Signs to look out for include:

An unsafe home or garden eg broken glass, insecure doors or windows, signs of drugs.

Children who look scared, dirty, hungry or cold.

Young children being left alone.

Injuries such as cigarette burns, black eyes, grab marks, cuts to wrists

Adults under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Loud arguments and conflict in front of children. For more information and how to report visit https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/EveryonesBusiness

Further funding opportunities

Extraordinary funding for domestic abuse support services The National COVID-19 Home Office extraordinary funding for domestic abuse support services has been extended for the a remaining

£1,207,000. The deadline for applications is midday 20 July 2020. The fund has also expanded the eligibility criteria to include non-primary Domestic Abuse service providers. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-home-office-extraordinary-funding-for-domestic-abuse-support-services Homelessness organisations affected directly by COVID-19 can now apply for funding of £5.5million. The funding aims to provide emergency financial assistance to local homelessness organisations, preventing closure, service cuts or staff redundancies threatened by increased operational costs and a loss of fundraised income due to the Coronavirus. It will also support organisations that have needed to expand or adapt their services in light of COVID-19 to support people experiencing homelessness safely and effectively. More information and details of how to apply can be found here: https://www.homeless.org.uk/sites/default/files/site-attachments/Round%202%20FAQs%20Final.pdf

Competition - young writers to pen their views on policing and community safety

I have launched a new competition asking young people across West Yorkshire to get creative and write a short story based on their views and experiences of policing and community safety.

The competition is open to three age categories of under 10 years, 11 to 16 years, and 17-21 years. My favourite stories will be featured on my website and social media accounts with one competition winner receiving a £100 online gift card. One of my key roles is to regularly engage with the public and communities, and young people are a crucial part of that. I need to understand everyone’s views in order to inform future work, our strategic direction and that policing is delivering across all of our communities. To find out more about the competition visit https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news-events/news/pcc-competition-asks-budding-young-writers-pen-their-views-policing-and-community-safety or contact my office.

Blackmail Education Resource

A new online blackmail education resource for 15-18 year olds has been launched. The resource aims to help young people identify key characteristics of how blackmail manifests online, understand the impact it can have, and how they access help if they experience it. Online blackmail has been awarded the PSHE Association Quality Mark, demonstrating that it supports safe and effective teaching practice and meets the PSHE Association’s ‘Ten principles of effective PSHE education’. The one-hour Online blackmail session can be delivered in schools, colleges, youth groups

and other educational settings. More information can be found at: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/professionals/resources/online-blackmail

NHS and Government Coronavirus Guidance

Government and NHS Advice For the latest health updates and guidance from the Government visit: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus NHS guidance can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19 A full list of all Government guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/search/all?topical_events%5B%5D=coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response&order=updated-newest

Our dedicated coronavirus webpage Our dedicated coronavirus page on our website contains further support information, volunteering opportunities, links to help and support and much more. Recent updates include funding opportunities from the government for foodbanks and domestic abuse charities, advice on wearing and making your own facemask as well as bereavement support. You can view it here https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/coronavirus

Our latest statements

See links to recent statements below.

West Yorkshire's PCC responds to latest National Crime Statistics (released 17th July) - https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news-events/news/west-yorkshires-pcc-responds-latest-national-crime-statistics

West Yorkshire's PCC responds to HMICFRS report on roads policing (released 17th July) - https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news-events/news/west-yorkshires-pcc-responds-hmicfrs-report-roads-policing

First Police Constable Degree Apprentices start training at West Yorkshire Police and Leeds Trinity University (released 16th July) - https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news-events/news/first-police-constable-degree-apprentices-start-training-west-yorkshire-police-and-leeds-trinity-university

Op Safeway launches to tackle road safety (released 15th July) - https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news-events/news/op-safeway-launches-tackle-road-safety

West Yorkshire’s PCC welcomes the national report into improving support for victims (released 14th July) - https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news-events/news/west-yorkshires-pcc-welcomes-national-report-improving-support-victims

PCC Modern Slavery Lead welcomes release of “It Still Happens Here: Fighting UK Slavery in the 2020s” report (released 13th July) - https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news-events/news/pcc-modern-slavery-lead-welcomes-release-it-still-happens-here-fighting-uk-slavery-2020s-report

“Thank you for helping to keep us safe” – says PCC to Neighbourhood Watch Groups on 35th Anniversary (released 13th July) - https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news-events/news/thank-you-helping-keep-us-safe-says-pcc-neighbourhood-watch-groups-35th-anniversary

Fund aimed at helping grassroots projects has now donated £3.4 million to good causes (released 10th July 2020) - https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news-events/news/fund-aimed-helping-grassroots-projects-has-now-donated-ps34-million-good-causes

West Yorkshire PCC Statement on Significant Serious and Organised Crime Op across the Region (released 2nd July) - https://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/news-events/news/west-

yorkshire-pcc-statement-significant-serious-and-organised-crime-op-across-region

Contacting the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner Along with the office I am currently working remotely. This means that face to face meetings at the office and elsewhere will not be taking place and we are not able to deal with correspondence posted through our letter box, either in person or by Royal Mail. However, you can still get in touch by email contact@westyorkshire.pcc.pnn.gov.uk and telephone 01924 294000 in the usual manner.