The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, joined the Policing Minister in Birmingham today for the launch of a nationwide Home Office initiative, aimed at preventing and tackling crime in town centres.
The project, known as Winter of Action, brings together the Police and Crime Commissioner, police, councils, violence reduction partnerships, and businesses to reduce high street crime, retail crime, anti-social behaviour, violence against women and girls and crime in the night-time economy.
It builds on the ongoing work delivered year-round across the West Midlands, with an increased focus at particular times of the year. In particular, the Winter of Action builds on the Safer Streets Summer Initiative, which benefitted almost 650 town centres nationally and resulted in over 16,000 arrests and fines, mostly for shop theft and anti-social behaviour.
Over the busy Christmas period, police will increase patrols and use knife arches to detect people carrying weapons. Teams will work closely with businesses and community groups to prevent and tackle crime and ensure licenced premises are operating appropriately.
There will also be a particular focus on protecting women and girls during the Christmas and New Year period, with increased patrols during the evening and action to tackle the threat posed by the illegal spiking of drinks.
The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner said: “I welcome the launch of the Winter of Action, that will run from 1 December to 31 January. It will build on the success of our Safer Streets Summer Initiative, that ran from 30 June to 30 September.
“I am pleased our Minister for Policing, Sarah Jones, has chosen to announce the launch in Birmingham.
“The Winter of Action will prevent and tackle high street crime, retail crime, anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls, with a particular focus on the night time economy.
“This will include prevention, diversion and enforcement across 34 town centre areas in the West Midlands. There will be increased high visibility patrols and targeting of prolific and high-risk offenders.
“It will be based on strong partnership work, between my Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, West Midlands Police, our Violence Reduction Partnership, our local authorities, Business Improvement Districts and our third and voluntary sectors.
“This is all part my plan to re-build community policing, to ensure an accessible, visible and reassuring police presence, to keep people, families, businesses and local communities safe and secure.
Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood said: “Shoplifting and anti-social behaviour are tearing at the fabric of our communities.
“This winter we are launching a crime- fighting blitz with police patrolling our high streets across the country.
“This is part of our wider plans to fight crime with 3,000 more police on the beat by the Spring to catch criminals and make our communities safe.”
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