Browse Sections

• Education
• Special reports

Cameras listen in on the yobs

Tom Rowley
26/ 9/2007

YOBS and neighbours from hell can now be heard as well as seen on Glossop's version of Candid Camera.

Half of the 12 cameras which make up the police Lend-a-Cam scheme now have an audio facility.

PC Paula Doyle told the latest meeting of Glossopdale Police Consultative Group: "We've recently upgraded six of the units by adding audio, which we place in properties to record instances of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour. They cost £1,000 a unit and have night vision.

"We've only had them four weeks, but have helped put a couple through the courts."

Inspector Stuart Thompson said a dispersal order stopping gangs of youths congregating - which ran on Gamesley from February to August - led to an 18.4 percent reduction in anti-social behaviour, compared with the same period in 2006.

"We will monitor behaviour on the estate and consult with our partners to see whether we need to apply for one again," he said.
He said three individuals on the estate were subject to ASBOs.

After a tour of the Gamesley Safer Neighbourhood Area, the group heard from WPC Doyle, estate beat officer, that 28 neighbourhood watch schemes operate locally but that she wanted to encourage more in Charlesworth.

Throughout the Glossop area there are 75 neighbourhood watches, up from 23 three years ago.

Inspector Thompson added: "Prior to the Gamesley and Charlesworth Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT), there were no neighbourhood watches on the estate.

"We were struggling to get any information for our investigations, so we could help solve local problems.

"This is the longest-established SNT in the division and the knowledge Paula has built up is remarkable."

He added that police-backed youth activities like the boxing sessions in the community centre on Tuesday and Thursday evenings run by coach Steve Brady, made the Gamesley neighbourhood team a 'model' for the rest of the division.