----- Original Message -----

From: dbs4@...

To: BromleyNWA@...

Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2008 2:31 PM

Subject: [BromleyNWA] Bromley Community Engagement Forum (BCEF) - Public Meeting - Mon 10th Nov 08

-----Original Message-----
From: BromleyCEF@aol.com
Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 11:01 AM

Bromley Community Engagement Forum

 

The Express - Please circulate to any interested parties

 

A Date for your Diary

Our next public meeting is on

Monday 10th November 2008

Buffet and table displays at 6.30pm from Age Concern and Primary Care Trust, 7pm start. Our theme for this meeting is "Safety of the Elderly", in partnership with Age Concern and Bromley Primary Care Trust. 

The London Fire Brigade will talk about Arson in the Borough and how they are trying to resolve it. 

All are welcome to attend, please let your neighbours and members know about this event. 

 

Dear Members and other interested parties

At the last BCEF meeting a member of the public made allegations about the lack of police action surrounding assaults on youths in a certain area.  When it was discussed in more detail it was found that these crimes had never been reported to Police. A crime committed and not reported to Police can be a complex issue. 

To be able to encourage people to report any crime it is necessary we (and the police) should be asking ourselves why?

Do people see the point in reporting crimes? Perhaps they think the Police, will do nothing other than add it to their statistics. In an ideal world we all expect the Police to respond immediately and solve our crime.  Frankly this will never happen for a high percentage of calls although their prompt attendance will have a ‘soothing’ effect on people, particularly the elderly or vulnerable.

However, without such ‘statistics’ the police are simply unable to determine where or when to target their resources.  So each call, no matter whether it receives an immediate attendance of police or not will highlight a certain level of crime and this will feed into the overall intelligence picture, which determines how resources are utilised.

Some people have become disillusioned and frustrated either by the quality of the police initial response or the difficulty they encounter when trying to simply report a crime or incident.  We’ve all been in the situation where it seems to take forever to get connected to the right person and then only to hear a disinterested voice who it seems does not want to actually make any official record of the matter.

If this is the case, we would suggest some intervention might be required by ourselves or with the Team Sergeant to ensure that matters have been dealt with professionally.

Finally, some sections of the community may dislike or distrust the police and feel reluctant to make contact with them in the first instance.  Secondary reporting through a third party is an option that is available and again, we can help facilitate that process if necessary. That said, the police do have a responsibility to work with all sections of the community and we should be encouraging that approach.

Reporting Crime, however small it may seem, goes a long way in making Bromley Safer – so don’t think twice!

If you require further information or contact for your local Safer Neighbourhood Panel, please do not hesitate to contact us via: BromleyCEF@aol.com or 020 7658 7168 or Geoff Wright (Borough Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator) on 0208 721 4511 or 07908 654 980.

Yours faithfully,

Judith Cross                                                              Terry Belcher

BCEF Executive Member                                          BCEF Deputy Chairman

Safer Neighbourhoods                                                          &

                                                                                      Chairman

                                                                                      Bromley Neighbourhood Watch Assoc.

 

 

Celebration of Diversity - 21 OCTOBER

 

A celebration of Diversity will be held at the Civic Centre in Bromley on Tuesday 21st October 2008. This event is being organised by the Ethnic Communities Programme in partnership with the Local Authority, Bromley PCT, The Metropolitan Police, Safer Bromley Partnership, Broomleigh Housing, Bromley Adult Education and other partners from the Voluntary & Statutory Sector.

 

The day will commence at 11am and there will be performances by local schools and various community groups followed by a cultural lunch. 

 

All welcome. 

 

 

Crime research for book!

Can you or any acquantances help a local resident with research for his book? Ian Muir, a past Chairman of West Beckenham Residents Association, wrote a book on Eden Park and Beckenham and is doing another local history book with Pat Manning. He would like information about serious crime / hangings(!) locally up to about the 1950's-60s, ie not recent crimes!  If you can help or want more information please email Ian on  mcleanmuir@onetel.com

 

 

 Please contact Amanda Evans to publish an article in The BCEF Express via: BromleyCEF@aol.com

BCEF, PO Box 34 Beckenham, Kent, BR3 4ZN

Telephone/Fax: 020 8658 7168

Website: www.bcef.org.uk