Welsh crime projects win praise

Two proactive projects tackling crime, one in Cardiff and one in Wrexham, have been praised today by Home Office Minister, Hazel Blears.

Visiting Cardiff today the Minister congratulated police and community groups for working together to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

The projects, the Cardiff Project Targeting Alcohol-Related Street Crime (TASC) and the Wrexham Industrial Estate Targeted Policing Initiative have received £688,000 through the Home Office's Targeted Policing Initiative (TPI).

Ms Blears praised the partnership approach of both projects as “excellent examples of targeted policing” that encouraged a proactive approach.

The Cardiff TASC Project targets alcohol-related crime in the city and its success has already led to it being replicated in several towns and cities in Wales and England. Bringing together licensees, police and local health workers, the project targeted the causes of alcohol-related violence to combat violent crime in the city. Measures included setting up a licensees forum and training courses for door staff in substance abuse awareness and anger management.

The Wrexham targeted policing project tackled burglary and theft on a local business industrial estate and resulted in a 26% fall in overall crime and a 59% fall in burglary. The project established an 'estate community' made up of local businesses and police and introduced a radio link between premises. A recent survey indicated that 75% of people felt safer on the estate since the project commenced.

The TPI schemes aim to encourage police forces to focus on reducing crime over the long-term by working with other local agencies in a bid to tackle the root causes of crime.

(SP)