Minutes:
This project was part of the Home Office Safer Streets 3 fund which was aimed at reducing violence against women and girls. Environmental improvements were being rolled out across the Racecourse and Beckets Park including help points which connected straight to the CCTV control room. There had been very tight timescales of 6 months in which to deliver a wide range of projects including a refresh of the Safer Nights Out campaign to fit in with the Government’s ‘enough’ campaign. Various partners had been involved including Suzie Lamplugh Trust and Northamptonshire Rape Crisis. A new website (It Only Takes One – One community can say 'Enough is Enough') being launched this week. The messaging can address good and bad behaviour. There are good tips on the website on how to call out bad behaviour safely. A lot of training was available including for licensed premises and the safer routes from the University were being refreshed. The police Operation Kyack continued during the night-time economy and the SNO van equipped with responders. See attached presentation.
Update from Superintendent Sarah Johnson - Op Kayak does not use plain clothed officers. This is in recognition of the potential public unease about plain clothed officers watching and approaching women. The aim is to be active in preventing offences rather than an observer to offences therefore it has been important to be readily identifiable as a Police Officer. They do not enter clubs/bars and there is no surveillance apart from overtly by CCTV. Officers will always be double crewed but unfortunately it is not always possible to have male/female pairings on the basis of available resources. Feedback to date has been overwhelmingly positive from the public and from licenced venues. We have had no complaints about officers making women feel uneasy and actually they are extremely grateful when officers check up on them.
Pauline stated that the focus was on the town centre and night-time economy, but things went on outside of that and it was how we support people to make a difference whatever area it may be in.
Danielle Stone stated that it was an extraordinary we live in a world that is so scary for women and we shouldn’t lose that shock. She thanked Vicki for all the positive work that was going on. She was often told by residents that they do not feel safe walking along the streets due to the fear of being accosted by men especially at the Racecourse and welcomed all the measures being put in but not all women out at night were out having a good time, some were returning from work night shifts. Also, we need to be careful how we expect people to intervene as her son was attacked when intervening to protect a woman. Vicki responded that there was a section on the website on how to intervene safely and although the funding was specifically for the night-time economy, a lot of the work could be taken into other areas.
Cllr Humphreys added that she was very interested to hear of so much positive action and agreed that we should not stop being shocked and asked whether the campaign was going out to sports clubs etc. Vicki responded that the campaign had been structured in a way we could do anything with it.
Katy asked for the website link as the Fire Service was heavily male dominated and she would love to ensure the workforce were educated.