Community united in war on crime (From Swindon Advertiser)

Community united in war on crime

9:55am Friday 4th July 2008 in

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PEOPLE from across the community have been working together to make Broadgreen a better place to live.

Broadgreen beat manager PC Paul Crouch said by working with community leaders, councillors, schoolteachers, businesspeople and Swindon Town, crime was down in the area.

"When I took over as the neighbourhood beat manager in September 2007, the relationship with the community was quite tense," he said.

"But through cohesion events, tasking meetings and other ideas like football matches we have been able to build bridges.

"There have been difficult times, particularly with the investigation into the hammer attack at Ridgeway School. And then with the petrol bombings, but things are coming together now."

In March, the neighbourhood bobbies put on their shin pads and tackled the area's youngsters on the football pitch.

PC Crouch and his colleagues managed to scrape a 6-5 victory against members of the Asian community during the County Ground match to make officers more welcome in the neighbourhood.

PC Crouch said schemes like the Streets for Living, a three-year project to increase street lighting, improve road layouts, slow traffic and improve parking had also helped improve relations.

Nick Capstick, headteacher of Drove Primary, said that despite the school being outside the neighbourhood, a lot of the pupils and their families live in Broadgreen.

Mr Capstick has been making school facilities available to youngsters in the area to keep them out of trouble.

"In this community we have very proud people," Mr Capstick said.

"I have worked in cities across the country and never seen such proud communities as Broadgreen."

Mr Capstick is trying to get council funding for projects to help disaffected youths.

Community sports coach Doug Imrie organises training and matches so Broadgreen youths can get involved in sport.

"It's about trying to keep kids busy," he said.

"It can be difficult getting the resources, but friendly football matches encourage keeping active and constructive play."

Central ward councillor Derique Montaut said: "There are a wide range of social issues that need to be addressed and at times this area has been a tinder box.

"But it is encouraging that the aim of this group of people is to come together to address the problems."