Mephadrone (MMCAT) Amnesty

North Yorkshire Police in Ryedale are holding a mephedrone (MMCAT) amnesty... giving people the opportunity to hand in their stash before 24 April 2010, but officers warn that after that date, dealers will face up to 14 years in Prison.

Insp. Tim Hutchinson said, "It is the opinion of local police that in offering this amnesty we are recognising the fact that people may have been using this substance perfectly legally for some time and they should have the opportunity to hand it over."

Before 24 April, you will be able to take the drug into any police station, or hand it to any officer or PCSO in the street.

No details of the person handing it in will be taken or retained.

The Government has announced that Mephedrone, also known as meow meow, will become an illegal Class B drug.

This will mean convictions for possession and possession with intent to supply will carry maximum sentences of five and 14 years in prison respectively.

Police have warned that 'the gloves are off' after 24 April and the law will be enforced to the same degree as any other illegal drug.

Following on from the publication of the much reduced crime figures in the Ryedale District for the past year the latest Community Consultation Survey undertaken by The Safer Ryedale Partnership demonstrates that the community appreciate the work being done to provide a safe place in which to live, work and visit.

The survey undertaken throughout the month March this year and across the whole district received 546 responses and of those 94% considered the place where they lived, in Ryedale, to be either fairly safe or very safe. "This is a most pleasing response" said Sgt Steve Pearse who was involved in the survey work with colleagues from The Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team and  other partner agencies including North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Ryedale District Council, Parish Council representatives and volunteers. "The Safer Ryedale Partners have collectively worked hard throughout the year and these results vindicate the efforts of the teams involved. I am proud to have been a part of such a successful unit and will be sorry to leave next month".

 

Other statistics taken from the same survey show that 99% of respondents thought that they lived in an area of either moderately low or very low crime. This in turn reflects the crime statistics published at the end of March showing the lowest crime figures since 2005 and continuing to fall.

 

80% of replies indicated that the respondents believed that they were fairly confident or very confident that their concerns about Anti-Social Behaviour and Crime were being addressed by Police and District Council whilst 82% thought they were being kept well informed or fairly well informed about what is being done in to tackle these issues.

 

The Community Partnership Officer, Gail Snowden,  said that "whilst this is very pleasing we are working on ways to further improve communications between partners and the community. This survey helps us to identify key community priorities, we then aim to put in place actions that address the problems and we need to ensure that we inform residents of what has been done"

 

Dog mess and Speeding motorists continue to be the two issues that cause most unease to those who completed the surveys and Safer Ryedale have acted quickly to address each concern.

 

Additional dog waste bins have been purchased and are being placed in the areas that have been identified as being most in need whilst discussions are ongoing to delegate authority to Police Community Support Officers to issue fixed penalty notices to irresponsible dog owners who allow their animals to foul in a public place.

 

Over 700 fixed penalty notices have also been given to motorists in the last 12 months, many in locations identified by local communities as being subjected to drivers travelling at excessive speed. In addition to this agencies have worked together educating drivers via Operation Siren. This process involves drivers being given the option of accepting a fixed penalty notice or electing to receive advice from Police, Fire and Rescue and North Yorkshire County Council Officers about the dangers and consequences of driving too fast. In these events across the district over 200 drivers have accepted the advice and others have been reported for summons. Further similar events are planned for coming months.

 

As we enter the new financial year Safer Ryedale partners look to improve on last years performance and have already set in place a programme of actions aimed at achieving this goal. It can be difficult at times to continue to improve but there is a commitment to these aims and a dedicated team who will do all that they can to meet the target of keeping Ryedale one of the safest places in England.

The Government has set every force a target to raise public confidence that the police and local council are dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime issues that matter locally.

 

The proportion of people surveyed in each of the following areas agree that the police and local council are dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime issues that matter in their area.

 

Area	Proportion
Craven	57%
Hambleton	60%
Harrogate	58%
Richmondshire	59%
Ryedale	59%
Scarborough	60%
Selby	60%
York	65%

 

 

These are the results of a telephone survey that was conducted in these areas which asked local people whether they agree that:

 

"The police and local council are dealing with the anti-social behaviour and crime issues that matter in this area".

 

Care should be taken in making comparisons in local indicators that have used different survey techniques.

 

Technical footnote:

The survey is based on a random survey of people in the local area. The use of a random sample aims to ensure the results are statistically representative of the local population. Compared to other  estimates of how the population is made up, the sample for this survey may under represent some subgroups.

For further information please follow this link

 

(site visitors then follow the link to a new web page on the site which details the following information)

The survey not only asks the public about their confidence in the police but also asks about their perceptions of crime and anti-social behaviour in their local area.  These results are summarised here:

 

Between April and December 2009 compared with the same period the previous year North Yorkshire Police (NYP) have seen a reduction in recorded crime of 10.5% or 3892 offences. 

 

This includes significant reductions in Vehicle crime of 28% (1215 offences), reductions in Domestic Burglary of 19% (356 offences), reductions in Criminal Damage of 15% (1273 offences) and a reduction in the overall rate of Violent Crime by 2% (103 offences).

 

This success is shown in the survey results which show the percentage of people who agree that the overall level of crime in their area is low:

 

Craven	Hambleton	Harrogate	Richmondshire	Ryedale	Scarborough	Selby	York	Force
87%	87%	88%	89%	92%	79%	84%	80%	86%

 

 North Yorkshire Police is committed to a partnership approach and working with local service partners to ensure anti-social behaviour is dealt with robustly.  Between April and December 2009 North Yorkshire Police has recorded 1,500 fewer incidents of anti-social behaviour compared with the same period the previous year.

 

National research tells us that residents of North Yorkshire have some of the lowest perceived levels of anti-social behaviour being a problem in England and Wales, and the results of our survey confirm this.

 

The percentage of people who agree that the overall level of anti-social behaviour in their area is low:

 

Craven	Hambleton	Harrogate	Richmondshire	Ryedale	Scarborough	Selby	York	Force
82%	81%	82%	86%	86%	73%	80%	73%	80%

 

 

Whilst it is important to use this survey as a method of assessing perceptions of crime and anti-social behaviour, it is also important for North Yorkshire Police to get feedback on how the public believe we are performing.

 

We are pleased to report that the percentage of people who agree that the police are doing good job is:

 

Craven	Hambleton	Harrogate	Richmondshire	Ryedale	Scarborough	Selby	York	Force
76%	77%	75%	77%	79%	73%	77%	80%	77%

 

 

In addition, we can report that the percentage of people who (overall) have confidence in North Yorkshire Police is:

 

Craven	Hambleton	Harrogate	Richmondshire	Ryedale	Scarborough	Selby	York	Force
79%	82%	82%	80%	80%	76%	83%	83%	81%

 

 

Chief Officer Comments:

"We want people to feel reassured that both North Yorkshire Police and our local service partners are committed to understanding and tackling the crime and anti-social behaviour issues that matter most. 

 

North Yorkshire Police has seen successive year-on-year reductions in the number of recorded crimes and incidents of anti-social behaviour, meaning North Yorkshire and the City of York are one of the safest places to live and work in England and Wales. 

 

Whilst we are very pleased to report this, we know that public confidence is not just an outcome of low crime rates. As only a relatively small number of people have reason to contact us, we therefore need to ensure that the majority of residents still feel confident that North Yorkshire Police can be relied upon to provide an effective service when called upon. 

 

North Yorkshire Police is committed to providing a citizen focussed service that is both accessible and visible and meets the needs of our communities. We will use the feedback from this survey to further target the delivery of policing services across the whole of North Yorkshire and the City of York.

 

One of our key methods of public engagement is through regular community meetings which help us set our policing priorities for each community as we recognise each one is individual.  It will continue to be a priority to engage with the public in these and other innovative ways to understand what they want us to address and deliver the quality of service that people in North Yorkshire and the City of York deserve."

 

ACC Tim Madgwick

  

Technical footnote:

The survey is based on a random survey of people in the local area. The use of a random sample aims to ensure the results are statistically representative of the local population. Compared to other  estimates of how the population is made up, the sample for this survey may under represent some subgroups.

 

Anti-social behaviour is defined as: virtually any intimidating or threatening activity that scares you or damages your quality of life. Examples include:

• rowdy, noisy or ‘yobbish' behaviour, vandalism, street drinking and fly-tipping
• vandalism, graffiti and fly-posting
• dealingorbuying drugs on the street
• fly-tipping rubbish
• aggressive begging
• street drinking
• setting off fireworks late at night

Anti-social behaviour doesn't just make life unpleasant. It holds back the regeneration of disadvantaged areas and creates an environment where more serious crime can take hold.  It has a negative effect on many people's lives, and we are committed to tackling it. 

A Pickering teenager sang her way to second place in a talent competition.  Grace  Shoobridge, aged 15, wowed the judges with her version of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" at North Yorkshire Police's Community Idol in Harrogate Royal Hall.   The competition attracted youngsters from all over the county with 18 making it through to the final in front of a 300 strong audience.   "I was speechless and thrilled to get second prize", said the Lady Lumley's pupil, who took home an iPod Nano.  The winner of the Community Idol competition was Aimee Barratt, of Selby.   Sergeant Jane Guymer, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "This was a fantastic event that was enjoyed by competitors and audience alike.  All of the hard work and effort that went into the organisation of this year's competition was well worth it."