Loughton Residents Association

LRA


Police & security

Contacting the Police
To join your local neighbourhood action panel (NAP) to discuss any policing issues, and resolve the issues raised, contact your local officer:

Sami Dawood - Broadway
Jon Hounslow - High Road
Details available by going to www.essex.police.uk and entering your postcode.

For non-urgent calls ring 07968 354021: if calls are not answered immediately, any messages left should receive a response within 24 hours (if there are any problems with non-response, please contact David Linnell. Alternatively, ring 0300 333 4444, which is constantly monitored at headquarters. Ring 999 for all emergencies.

Please keep reporting incidents to the police (and ask for an incident number). This enables the police to identify where the problems are, and call for action, even (particularly) if there are insufficient officers to respond to some of the calls immediately. 

Dial 999 for emergencies, and 07968 354021 for non-urgent cases.

If you feel that your calls are not being properly dealt with, contact Sgt Jacqui Mileham - the district's Anti-Social Behaviour coordinator at Epping Police Station on 0300 333 4444, and let us know too.

Incidents in Station Approach – contact the British Transport Police 0800 40 50 40 (or 999 for emergencies).
Other non-emergencies ring Essex Police on 0300 333 4444.

Local crime figures and neighbourhood police details at the touch of a button
Information is available on local crime statistics and details on neighbourhood policing in your area, including local policing priorities and information about forthcoming local events such as crime prevention meetings and local surgeries.

Problems on the Roding Valley recreation ground
LRA Cllrs David Wixley, Suzanne Harper and Ken Angold-Stephens took up with the police the problems of vandalism on the Reserve over the Summer of 2010. The police stepped up their visits, with the result that there were no incidents in the Autumn. We will be keeping an eye on the Reserve in case the problems recur.

Townlink.
The police are pleased with this system, which provides a radio link between most licensed premises in the town with each other and with the police; arrests have increased, and if a troublemaker is thrown out of one venue, the others can refuse entry (this should have a wider impact, as news spreads that Loughton is not a good place to go to cause trouble)

Police priorities
The current police priorities for the High Road area are

  • Reduction in nuisance youth incidents and antisocial behaviour – especially in Roding Valley recreation ground.
  • reduction in the issues surrounding bars and pubs in the High Road area in relation to criminal damage and smashed glass and general antisocial behaviour
  • Burglary reduction in the Goldings manor estate (Police have stepped up their activity on the Goldings Manor estate to prevent further burglaries, and will be making house to house visits to talk about security)

Get rid of graffiti
We have the impression that there are more graffiti about. Please do report them, because graffiti left in place encourages more to appear. The Council website gives details of how to get graffiti removed from Council property, and from many other organisations’ property.

Security

Anti-social behaviour
Epping Forest District Council has been accredited under Essex Police's Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS), which gives organisations and their employees targeted police powers to deal with anti-social behaviour, disorder and nuisance, such as littering, dogs fouling, fly posting and graffiti. Accredited people can also act as the eyes and ears of the police helping to improve quality of life issues that may occur in the local community. They can request names and addresses of anyone acting in an anti-social manner - it is an offence to fail or refuse to comply, or to assault or obstruct an accredited person or person assisting them. Accredited individuals must satisfy strict criteria including positive extensive police vetting and training, display a nationally-agreed standard approved badge on the uniform of their employer and carry an identification card stating their name and confirming what powers that individual has been granted by Essex Police.

Neighbourhood WatchOur area Co-Ordinator, Colin Freeman, is available in the daytime and most evenings to give talks and presentations about the work of Essex Watch and Neighbourhood Watch to Clubs and Organisations across Epping Forest & Brentwood. He would be particularly interested to meet Senior Citizens Clubs, and clubs or organisations serving vulnerable members of our communities. Please contact him now with details of anyone, or any club, that may be interested - 01279 621862; colin.freeman@essex.pnn.police.uk

Going away? Help protect your home from burglary - complete an 'unoccupied house' card and then hand it in to Loughton police station. Police community support officers (PCSOs) on foot patrol will check on individual homes. For more information visit Loughton police station or call Essex Police on 0300 333 4444.

Do your neighbours have a key? Do you have a burglar alarm? It’s a good idea to let the police know each year who your key-holders are – download the form at http://www.essex.police.uk/be_safe/burglary/key_holders.aspx. You can also give the police permission to board up doors or windows in the event of an incident which leaves your premises insecure and vulnerable (they cannot do this without your say-so).

If you have an audible alarm, you should also tell the council each year – download the form at http://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/council_services/environmental_health/noisenuisance.asp

Help Older People Feel Safer at Home.
Safe and Sound is a new home security check and accident prevention service helping anyone aged over 60 ‘feel safer at home’. http://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/news/2010/feel_safer_at_home.asp

If you know some-one who is over 80, living at home, but needs help and support to live safely and independently, see.
May also be available to other vulnerable people.

Scams
A couple of examples:

  • Watch out for a call from a man purporting to be representing the Police Community Sports Clubs for children, asking for payment for an advert in their Journal. This is another variation on the "you have been selected for an entry in the Who's Who of [some group].
  • Phone scammers often pose as staff of companies, government departments or financial institutions as a means of fooling people into handing over their personal details. Fraudsters are currently phoning consumers claiming to be from BT or Ofcom. They claim that the consumer's telephone line needs digital upgrade work costing £6 and threatening disconnection. http://www.hoax-slayer.com/bt-unpaid-bill-phone-scam.shtml

Please check all email reports of scams etc with www.hoax-slayer.com before you pass them on, as many are hoaxes themselves (all reports here will have been checked this way first).

If you're not sure - don't open the door. If you are suspicious, or a caller is persistent, call 999 immediately. Essex Police is committed to dealing robustly with rogue traders and would rather have a call about a trader who turns out to be genuine rather than no call at all.

Junk mail and “cold” phone calls
These can now be stopped (free) at the same time at www.stayprivate.org