Episode 14 Neighbourhood Blues

Neighbourhood policing has come a long way

since the days of Dixon of Dock Green.

Good evening, all.

The new generation of community police officers

have the power to strike hard...

Police search warrant!

-You're under arrest.

-..and tackle crime ahead on.

-Mandy!

-Calm down.

By engaging with people on the street...

-Me and you always get on.

-Yeah.

..the teams can identify and crackdown

on the crimes that are crippling our communities.

They are clearly violent individuals.

-In this series of Neighbourhood Blues...

-Happy birthday.

..we're given unprecedented access to Somerset's neighbourhood teams...

I'm asking you not to street drink.

-Go somewhere else.

-BLEEP

..as they battle to clear up crime...

Hold still!

-Right, you're under arrest for assault.

-..and sweep the criminals clean from our streets.

Argh!

BLEEP

Coming up, an early-morning raid leads to a grisly discovery...

Underneath the cushion on the sofa, there's a saw blade.

That could be used on obviously any officers coming through the door.

..a sickening collision brings Bath city centre to a standstill...

I don't want anyone overtaking you and going right into it

cos we have to protect the scene.

Street wardens for November, Sierra.

..and CCTV plays a vital role

as the neighbourhood team deal with a disturbance in Weston-super-Mare.

There's a fight going on just round the corner.

For any officer, nothing gets their pulses racing more than a raid.

When the door goes in and you're first through,

you have no idea what to expect on the other side.

Raids also send out a clear, highly visible message

to the community that crime will not be tolerated

and if you're up to no good, the police are coming to get you.

In Weston-super-Mare,

the neighbourhood team are gearing up for a raid,

which is being carried out under a drugs warrant.

Sgt Colin Batchelor is leading the team that will be going in.

So, we're looking at a rapid entry this morning.

We're looking at getting into the door, through the window,

as soon as possible.

To help the team the gain access, they've called in the support group.

Plainclothes officers down there at the minute...

Rapid entry is their speciality.

This is our hydraulic door-breaker.

It is placed on the door and...

It'll push out and then push the door out

and it'll open most things.

Let us go.

Surprise is essential for a successful raid,

so, as the teams arrive, they stealthily take their positions.

With the hydraulic piston in place...

..the guys are ready to go in.

Police!

Warrant!

DOG BARKS

The team are in so quickly and quietly

that the occupants are still asleep.

Give me your hands, all right?

But not for long.

Give me your hands.

It looks as though there's only two people home,

but just to be sure, every room and even the attic are checked.

There's a few bicycles up here.

They haven't found anyone up here,

but rather bizarrely, it's full of bikes and spare parts.

I think they might go in police assessment.

The reason the neighbourhood team is here

is because of reports of drug use in the property.

Is there anything here that we're going to find?

That you're going to tell me about now.

Bit of personal something.

One of the suspects has admitted to having some drugs hidden in a shoe.

Can you send him up? I really want to put the dog in first

before we start putting our size nines everywhere.

Dogs on his way, chaps.

If there are any other drugs in here,

then Colin is hoping that a police sniffer dog

will be able to find them,

but because of the state of the property, there could be a problem.

Looks like a push-bike shop.

There's tools, there's sharp objects, there's paint,

there's things everywhere

that could possibly cause problems whilst the dog is searching.

I think the difficulty is when you arrive at a drugs warrant like this,

you go in and assess it.

In there, there's dog faeces on the floor, there's food everywhere,

and in a dog world, it's very difficult to keep the dog focused

on what it's trained to do,

which is finding drugs and not, "Mmm, here's a bit of...

"Here's a free meal for me."

In the meantime, the two suspects are escorted into vans

to be taken back to the station for interview.

Officers have begun to search the flat.

There's clear evidence that drug use has taken place here.

Got a little bit of what we believe to be amphetamine in here.

There's some scales up on the side there.

We've got a number of mobile phones.

There's obviously evidence of drug use around,

with a number of needles and what have you.

There's a cannabis grinder there.

A packet of pins here that have obviously all be used.

There's another mobile phone just down under there.

However, Harry the sniffer dog isn't having such an easy time.

It's just far too difficult

with the hazards that are in there, really.

And this room has come up a blank,

so Harry needs a little rest now, I think.

With the property unsuitable for Harry to search,

the team will have to do it by hand.

Tidiness might not have been a priority in this flat,

but security was.

The support group made a decision to put the door in,

which was braced with a metal pole at the rear.

This is sort of fairly unusual.

I don't see this very often,

a brace to this extent.

So, using hydraulics, they've pushed the door in,

we've got two arrested at this stage

on suspicion of possession of Class A.

The team are now painstakingly searching the entire property by hand.

Trying to get a sterile area but you're not going to get it in here.

It's a drawn-out process

and the officers are already making some worrying discoveries.

That's just laying around

and you can easily catch yourself with that, so...

Just found underneath the cushion on the sofa

where they were sat when we came in, there's a saw blade.

-Quite dangerous.

-HE LAUGHS

Little bit concerned that that could be used on, obviously,

any officers coming through the door or anyone else.

But if that's bad, in the kitchen, one of the team has found

every officer's worst nightmare

when it comes to carrying out a drug search.

I've just opened a drawer

and, as you see, there's a load of uncapped needles there

and there's obviously residue of blood and drugs on it, as well,

and that's the sort of last thing that you want to catch

on your finger, you know,

and I don't know what that's infected with.

Not good. Not good.

When the neighbourhood team carry out a raid,

it can be distressing for other residents...

..so Susan Venn-Adams is going door-to-door

making people aware of why the police are here.

I'm delivering leaflets

just explaining what we're doing in the area.

-Oh, right, yeah.

-Which I'm sure you're aware but...

-We are aware, yeah.

-Yes.

-SHE LAUGHS

We are basically classed as the face of the community,

so, therefore, we're used quite a bit to gather intel,

because people are quite happy to stop and talk to us on the street.

Apart from the suspected amphetamines when they first arrived

and some drugs paraphernalia, nothing else has been uncovered.

Nevertheless, Sgt Colin Batchelor is pleased with the way

the operation has gone.

It was a very difficult address to search.

It was messy, it was dirty and there was potential hazards,

so the chief inspector's just turned up, so I'm glad we had a result.

We've gone in there, we've seized the drugs,

and we've got two arrested, so I think the whole visibility thing,

the way we've done it, the way we've leafleted,

we've said, "Yeah, we're not having drugs on this estate

"and we will put your door in, so take your chances."

The drugs that were seized in the raid

were confirmed to be illegal Class B amphetamines.

In court, the lady confessed to owning them

and received a 12-month community order, along with £145 in costs.

Technology plays an important part

in modern-day neighbourhood policing.

Mobile phones, the internet and sat nav

are all tools that officers use every day,

but one of the most useful innovations has to be CCTV.

Day and night, these skilled operators keep watch

over our streets, identifying troublemakers, alerting the police

and providing vital evidence when it comes to prosecutions.

It's Saturday night in Weston-super-Mare

and the neighbourhood team are gearing up for a patrol

in the town centre.

Among the officers on duty tonight is Sgt Mark Jenkinson.

I would suggest the majority of our work this evening

will be drink related.

Hopefully, it will just be minor public order matters.

Fingers crossed, everyone will be behaving themselves

and will be having a good time.

Joining Mark on duty is PC Wayne Hughes.

Heading into the town centre,

it looks like another busy Weston night.

The town may be a relatively small seaside resort,

but it has a thriving pub and club scene

and the neighbourhood team face exactly the same problems

as much larger town centres.

And that means that a high police presence is essential.

And it isn't just the officers on the ground

who are keeping a watchful eye.

Yeah, the males that have left Yates,

are those the ones over by the arcades? Over.

In the town's CCTV control room,

operators are monitoring camera feeds from all over the town.

So far, the evening's planned out to be a quiet one for Wayne and Mark.

But it's not long until the peace is shattered

and the team are called into action.

CCTV officer Brian Pugh has spotted a fight in progress.

Street wardens for November, Sierra.

November, Sierra.

CCTV have identified that there's a bit of a fight going on

just round the corner.

As Mark and Wayne arrive,

the man suspected of starting the fight has already been arrested.

Now the team need to try and build a picture of what's happened

and who's involved.

He hit a girl, yeah?

Basically, all that happened, yeah, someone, like...

I think she asked for a filter

and he is sort of, like, hit a girl.

Wayne's speaking to a witness who claims to have seen

exactly what happened.

These two Polish lads sat there and they were smoking,

so I asked them for a roll-up and they gave me a roll-up.

One of the boys was trying to...

Like, he was gripping me and pulling me forward.

-One of the Polish lads?

-Yeah. I told my friend and she went over there

and was like, "Look, you just need to sort of go away."

Cos he was trying to follow me.

And then, he swung for the girl,

and she moved and then he swung for my friend, well, my cousin.

And then he swung for me, so, obviously, I hit him back

because he swung for me, and I started hitting him

and then he ran down here so I chased him,

cos obviously he tried hitting three girls.

And then obviously you've got him since then.

The young lady is saying that the dispute began over a cigarette

and that the man the team have in custody

has attempted to hit a number of people, including three girls,

although, bizarrely, he appears to be the only one with any injuries.

Mark's now speaking to a young lad.

His version of events also ties in with what the young girl told Wayne.

She pushed him away and he swung,

ended up hitting my mate in the face and that.

It sounds as though the fight was started

by the man in the police van.

But in a situation like this, where alcohol may have had a part to play

and emotions are running high,

it can be incredibly difficult for officers on the ground

to build an accurate picture of what's happened.

It's looking like an open-and-shut case,

but find out later what happens when the CCTV is analysed

and the fight is viewed in a completely different light.

Shoplifting is a crime that plagues town centres up and down the UK.

In Taunton, PC Stewart Baird and PCSO Matt Lester...

Golf, tango, 718.

..are responding to a call from the security team

in one of the high street's department stores.

A woman has been spotted acting suspiciously.

They think that there's a shoplifter brewing...

We're just putting the log on, unit's attending.

Yeah, that's right,

I'm town-centre team, so I'll head down for that.

I've got a vehicle.

Still en route,

Stewart receives an update from the security guards in the store.

At the moment, the woman's still in-store

and she's still selecting stuff,

so I think this is quite an ambitious one, really.

The guys have made it to the town centre

and the suspect is still inside,

which, as Stewart explains,

is crucial when it comes to catching shoplifters.

Until they actually walk out the store and leave the store,

then they can always put up an argument

that they were going to go to a till and pay for it.

So, in practice, we always let them walk out.

Always.

We'll see now.

Over the years, Stewart has dealt with his fair share of shoplifters,

so he's well aware of what could happen in the suspect is approached.

Are they going to follow her out?

Yeah? Right, OK.

The lads are looking for a blonde-haired lady

in a red and white dress.

And it's not long before they spring into action.

Having left the store with a bag of items,

the suspect is stopped by a security guard and PCSO,

who lead her back inside for questioning.

OK, shall we list what we think is stolen?

All right.

Coming clean, the woman has confessed

to stealing a number of items

including shoes and swimming costumes worth around £315.

There's quite a few bits and bobs here that have been taken

from the store and you haven't made payment for them, have you?

All right, OK?

All right.

She may be sorry

but caught red-handed shoplifting means that this lady

is on her way to the cells at Taunton Police Station.

Time of arrest, please?

4:30.

And offence?

Suspicion of theft by shoplifting

goods to the value of approximately £354.

Young lady, do you understand why you're here?

-Yes.

-Would you like to speak to a solicitor?

Any reason why not? You don't have to give you don't have to get me one

if you don't want to.

OK.

Immaculately presented

and with several hundred pounds of cash in her purse,

Stewart's struggling to understand why she did it.

God only knows why this young woman

has got involved in this kind of thing

because, I mean, she's clearly affluent.

Plenty of money.

God only knows why. I really don't know.

Regardless of her motives,

as it was her first offence,

the well-presented shoplifter was released with a caution.

It's a busy Saturday night in a Weston-super-Mare

and neighbourhood officers Mark Jenkinson and Wayne Hughes

have been patrolling the town centre.

They were called to an incident

where it was thought that a man had assaulted a number of young girls

in a dispute over a cigarette.

After reviewing footage of the incident,

the operators in the town's CCTV control room

aren't so sure that it happened exactly as the victims are claiming.

Brian Pugh watched the events unfold.

The female was saying that she was picked on

and assaulted,

and from what we saw, that wasn't really what was going on.

The footage shows that it was indeed the girl

who seems to be at the centre of the dispute.

Her body language is extremely aggressive

towards the man sat on the wall.

Her friend pulls her away,

but it isn't long before she's back,

and this time, she's giving both men a good talking to.

For a second time, a friend tries to remove her from the situation.

But she returns again

and this time it isn't just a verbal attack that she unleashes...

..as she lashes out with punches...

..and a kick to the face of one of the guys.

Faced with such an onslaught,

the patience of the lad sitting on the wall snaps

and he defends himself.

In a split second, it develops into a full-scale brawl.

Looks like it's already been reported, over.

Understandably, he makes a run for it,

and judging by these images,

he was lucky that the neighbourhood team were close by.

They've arrested the bloke for assault.

Just to make sure, I have made them aware we have got good footage

of it, so, they'll come over and view it

and then they'll make the decision what they're going to do.

As the young girl is claiming she was attacked without provocation,

it appears that this is a case

which warrants further investigation,

although, as Brian explains, CCTV can't tell you everything.

You know, we don't know exactly the full story,

but she didn't exactly walk away

and report it.

She tried to get justice herself.

If anything did happen, then two wrongs don't make a right, so...

Hopefully, the footage will help either way.

The CCTV evidence made a huge difference to the investigation

as it allowed the neighbourhood team to take an impartial view

of the events.

The police decided not to charge the man who was originally arrested

or anyone else involved in the fracas.

Every community has its fair share of known offenders

and wanted people,

so whenever the neighbourhood teams are out on patrol,

they always keep one eye open for those familiar faces.

Today, PCSO Steve Hill is patrolling the town of Wellington.

Just seen that somebody that I believe is wanted.

There she is.

Beige fur-type coat.

It probably won't be fur but fluffy-type thing.

Steve has spotted someone of interest to the police,

but it would appear that she's also seen him.

Right.

Where the bloody hell has she gone?

In the time it takes to turn the car round, she's disappeared.

Just got to try and find her now.

The girl is wanted for failing to answer bail

as she is suspected of being involved in a burglary.

Right, boyfriend's gone that way.

-There's

-BLEEP

-waiting for her, so she's still around here somewhere.

The man is also known to Steve

and the fact that he's here suggests that the girl isn't far away.

Suspecting that she's hiding,

Steve's continuing his search on foot.

You've not seen a young lady wearing like a furry-type coat?

Looking quite sheepish and trying to hide out away?

-No?

-Not in the last 10 minutes, no.

-OK, then. OK, mate.

Thanks very much.

Knowing she can't have gone far,

Steve calls in other units to help with the search.

She's given us the slip.

She was on the bridge in Tonedale

-and she was, yeah, definitely with

-BLEEP.

-But

-BLEEP

-headed off back to town,

so she's Tonedale side somewhere.

With backup en route,

Steve heads back to where he first saw the girl.

Where is she?

It looks as though his decision to return has paid off.

She's been spotted.

Yeah.

-Down which way?

-Down there.

-In there?

-Yeah.

The witness has said that she ran into this industrial warehouse

and he isn't the only one who saw her come in here.

-Ran in there.

-Ran in there?

-Yeah.

Steve may have her cornered

but finding her in this massive warehouse might not be so easy.

It's too big to search

and it sounds as though she's sneaked out

through one of the fire exits.

So, Steve heads back out onto the streets.

She obviously knows she's wanted.

It's one of those things, unfortunately,

they get away, they get away. But they'll always come again.

So, just keep an eye out for her through the day

and hopefully get her in.

And sure enough, just 45 minutes later,

as the neighbourhood team are continuing their search,

Steve radios in to say he's got her stopped on the street.

PC Rob Wood is on his way to place her under arrest.

Steve has found her with her boyfriend

and has detained her until Rob arrives.

OK, so we're going to arrest you

on suspicion of breaching your police bail.

What's going to happen to us?

Golf, whisky, 034.

You want the last swig of that?

Can you see if I can have a space for an adult female

for breach of bail, please?

A space?

Put it in the bin and come straight over. All right?

Don't follow me round.

When she appeared in court,

the original burglary charge was dropped,

however, she was sentenced to 6 weeks in prison

for failing to answer her bail and three other theft offences.

Policing isn't just about dealing with residential areas.

It also tackles community issues in towns and city centres as well.

Here in Bath, the neighbourhood team face the added challenge

of policing a historic city

that sees thousands of visitors every single day.

It's Saturday morning in Bath city centre,

the shops are just opening

and neighbourhood officer Roger Parker

already has a rather large problem to deal with.

Yeah, hi, can we have PCSOs or another police unit

down at Cheap Street. They've got a large crane

wedged on Westgate Street.

We need to shut the road at the top by Cheap Street, by the abbey.

A giant mobile crane has tried to reverse into a new development,

but it's managed to get stuck in the process.

We've got another unit on the way to keep crowds back.

People tend to want to look at things. Obviously, there's a health and safety issue.

-We're going to need to keep people back.

-Roger needs to get it shifted soon

to avoid bringing the city's traffic to a standstill.

But more importantly, he needs to ensure

none of the surrounding historic buildings are damaged.

This is going to require some expert driving.

What they're going to do is try and do the biggest three-point turn

we've seen for many years.

After some delicate manoeuvring...

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,

whoa! Whoa, whoa!

..and just a tiny little scrape with the building opposite...

..eventually, the crane is free and on its way,

much to the delight of the gathered onlookers.

THEY CHEER

Get that crane back!

That was extraordinarily close and shows the skill of these people.

We've got three or four projects which have been going of late.

It's not the first time, it probably won't be the last.

Roger managed to avoid a nasty coming-together with the crane,

but as the sun casts its rays over the historic spa city,

his next close encounter hasn't been so fortunate.

Yeah, that's all noted.

On my way. We've now got to go out to an RTC

at the top to a potentially serious incident.

The report is of a crash between a taxi and a moped.

The incident was captured on CCTV

and looks as though it could be extremely serious.

As the silver taxi moves across the road to make a right-hand turn,

it blocks the path of an oncoming pizza-delivery bike...

..leaving it with nowhere to go

other than straight into the side of the car.

As Roger arrives,

paramedics are working on the injured motorcyclist.

Right now, the officer's primary concern is to keep everybody safe.

Yeah, I tell you what, if you could just move it a little bit, so it's blocking it, that'd be happy days.

I don't want anyone overtaking you and going right into it

cos we have to protect the scene.

All right?

Our priority now is to protect the scene

and we need to get this area now cordoned off,

so we're going to get "road closed" signs and we're using the bus.

It's providing a natural sort of break in the traffic

because I don't want people to overtake him

and go into a sterile scene.

The drive of the taxi is lucky to have walked away unscathed.

But with nasty cuts to his face

and the possibility of internal injuries,

the biker needs to be moved very carefully.

The casualty is now ready to be taken to hospital,

but the accident has had a knock-on effect on the city's traffic,

so Roger's next task is to get the roads flowing again.

Straight on, please, yeah.

-If you go here...

-Go where?

Go in this one here.

It's unpleasant, but Roger's final job is to wash away the blood

from the motorcyclist's injuries.

The traffic officer has been here, photographs have been taken

and we're now, thankfully, about to open the road again.

Considering the speed of the collision,

the motorcyclist was incredibly lucky to have escaped

with only a dislocated shoulder and cuts to the face.

No further action was taken against either party.

If you need to contact your neighbourhood team,

then dial the police non-emergency phone number - 101.

See you next time.