Keeping our communities safe at the start of Spring

#TogetherForBedfordshire | Operation Thalos is aimed at reducing hate crime around hospitals. Figures show that hospital staff are particular targets for threats and violence.

We are determined to ensure the safety of those who care for our community so officers from our Luton Community team were at the Luton & Dunstable hospital’s A&E department this week carrying out a knife arch operation. 

It was designed to deter the possession of weapons, support NHS colleagues, and promote a safe environment for patients, visitors, and workers, with officers engaging with staff and the public throughout the day to offer advice and reassurance.

It is all about teamwork and, elsewhere in Luton, officers worked with the Council’s Licensing team and Immigration Enforcement in Operation Shroud, designed to keep our high streets safe.

They visited shops and businesses checking for licensing breaches and seeking information and intelligence linked to wider criminal activity.

We know how drugs can blight communities leading to serious crime and the exploitation of vulnerable people. So our Bedford Community team was quick to act when they received reports of an address and it’s occupier being cuckooed. That’s when criminals take over a vulnerable person’s home to use it for illegal activities.

In this case officers broke their way into the property. Three men inside were detained and items seized. Safeguarding referrals have now been made to protect the vulnerable while enquiries continue.

But as we always say, community policing is a combination of enforcement and engagement and this week our Education and Diversion team and specialist Road Policing Unit were at the Wixams Academy meeting students and offering a “Taste of the Workplace”, an immersive work experience project.

Ambulance, fire and police officers role-played a road traffic collision showing the emergency service response and subsequent enquiries. An eye-opening introduction to their work which was clearly enjoyed by the students. Who knows, maybe they are the officers of the future?

And finally, a quick reminder: did you remember to put your clocks forward? The lighter evenings and (hopefully) better weather mean we are all more likely to have doors and windows open.

You can help us to help you as Spring arrives: 

Don’t leave doors and windows open unattended and try not to leave valuables like keys close to open windows.

If you need to leave windows open at night, you might want to consider using restrictors to prevent them being fully opened.

If you’re going on holiday for Easter, think before you post and avoid advertising to criminals on social media that your home is empty.

There is plenty more crime prevention advice on our website: www.beds.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention

Don’t forget you can report issues directly to us here: www.beds.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about or call 101.

You can also report anonymously at Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Information we receive from the community really helps the way we deploy resources and tackle crime.