Funding to keep up Northumbria Police success
Sep 7 2010 by Amy Hunt, The Journal
A PROJECT aiming to cut crime and disturbance in popular student suburbs in Newcastle has been given funding for another year.
City leaders are crediting Operation Oak, a partnership of Northumbria Police, Newcastle City Council and the city’s two universities, with cutting crime by 8.8% in Jesmond and Heaton last year.
The initiative uses extra police patrols to curb late-night noise, nuisance and anti-social behaviour.
The patrols, which mainly operate in Jesmond, help the council’s Nightwatch Team to deal with noisy parties and drink-related problems, and act as a visible deterrent in the early hours to reduce crime and disorder.
The project, which ran from January to June 2009 and also last academic year, has proved popular with people living in the area.
Now £28,000 of funding has been agreed to continue Operation Oak during this academic year. North and South Jesmond Ward Committees have contributed £8,000 each, with Newcastle University also putting in £8,000 and Northumbria University contributing £4,000.
Coun Anita Lower, the council’s executive member for neighbourhoods and public protection, said: “We welcome the news that Operation Oak is to continue for another year. The increased police presence has been appreciated by both the long-term residents and students alike, because it has led to a reduction in both anti-social behaviour and in opportunistic theft.
“I am pleased to see this partnership approach to tacking anti-social behaviour is achieving real results, making Jesmond a safer place for everyone.”
Statistics from Northumbria Police show Operation Oak helped reduce the number of arrests of students by 27.2% over the last two academic years. During 2008 to 2009 there were 81 student arrests made, compared to 59 in 2009 to 2010. There was an 8.8% reduction in crime in the area of the city covering North and South Jesmond, North Heaton, Dene, parts of Ouseburn and South Heaton, which chiefs put down to the high-visibility patrols, which they say have helped build trust and confidence in the local community.
Residents have also reacted positively in neighbourhood surveys, saying the area has improved as a result of the extra patrols.
The focus of Operation Oak has been extra police patrols between 10pm and 4am on Friday, Saturday and Monday nights and two extra dedicated officers to deal with concerns from residents in the area.
Students suspected of causing noise or trouble were warned about their behaviour and in some cases details were passed to the universities in an effort to challenge the minority of students causing problems.
