City-wide radio link expands for public safety.

11/08/2005

A number of Bath & North East Somerset Council wardens will now be linked to the city-wide radio link run by the Bath & District Business Crime Reduction Partnership.

As new members of the scheme, the Council's City Centre Community Wardens, Parking Wardens and Enforcement Officers are being trained on the radios to be additional eyes and ears in the city.

The idea was initiated by the Avon & Somerset Constabulary in Bath who provided a substantial contribution towards the purchase of the radios from prize money won by another highly successful problem solving community initiative. Joining the other 90 members in the scheme, the local authority has funded the annual subscriptions for a 3 year period from the Community Safety and Drugs Partnership portfolio.

Councillor Vic Pritchard, Executive member for Community Safety said: "When I realised how successful the existing scheme was in preventing shoplifting and general awareness of who and what was going on in the city centre streets, it made sense to add our staff to the scheme. Our officers are well trained in their roles and this will provide an additional service to prevent crime such as anti social behaviour."

Other partners in the scheme are the Avon & Somerset Constabulary who also have radios on the city-wide radio link. Commented Inspector Paul Mogg, Sector Inspector for Bath: "As active partners in the Bath & District Business Crime Reduction Partnership we are particularly pleased that the Council has agreed to expand communications to the other on-street assets for the benefit of city safety and were glad to be able to contribute to the purchase of the radios."

David Bruniges, Secretary of the Bath & District Business Crime Reduction Partnership said "We are pleased to welcome on board these additional Council staff and believe their involvement demonstrates the merit of the partnership approach to reducing crime and disorder in the community".

The Bath & District Business Crime Reduction Partnership is working towards satisfying the criteria set to achieve the Safer Business Award for Bath city centre.
This Award is the standard by which UK Crime Reduction Partnership are measured and is managed by the Home Office backed, Action Against Business Crime