FOR B DIVISION STAKEHOLDERS ISSUE 06 MAY you said, we did

Transcription

1 FOR B DIVISION STAKEHOLDERS ISSUE 06 MAY 2015 you said, we did

2 Chief Superintendent Paul Brogden Contents follow Paul on Welcome to Platform the B Division magazine that aims to keep stakeholders in the know on how we at BTP are policing the rail network across London, the East and South of England. 04 In the News Making the difference 06 Special Report Football in focus 04 Luton station opening This is our sixth issue of Platform magazine which also marks our one-year anniversary. Since June of last year, we ve covered the launch of B Division and focused on key themes such as how our officers are making a difference for rail passengers and staff. We ve also covered the text message service that makes it easier to report low-level crime quickly and discreetly. We kick the new Platform year off with a feature on our latest campaign, You said, we did. The campaign illustrates how we ve listened to rail passengers and acted on their concerns and practical suggestions to improve confidence. We ll continue to listen to passengers and staff to learn how we can make the railways even safer. As I ve said before, public confidence is a priority for me and the whole of B Division. 10 Campaign News You said, we did 12 Special Report The year ahead 16 Complementary Policing Awards You said, we did 10 This issue of Platform also focuses on our new policing plan targets for 2015/16 that are set by the British Transport Police Authority. We feature the work our officers undertake before, during and after big football matches in B Division. We also take a look at our new suicide prevention and mental health team, a BTP-led staff mentoring scheme at Euston station, and cover the visit of the Royal Oman Police to B Division. 19 Crime Update Court Report 06 Football in focus 02 I hope you enjoy this one-year anniversary issue of Platform and, as always, look forward to hearing your feedback on the magazine and our wider work. PLATFORM ISSUE 06 MAY

3 In the News Making the difference by going the extra 32 miles Suicide prevention and mental health team The B Division team responsible for Luton have relocated from King s Cross and will now be in the thick of the action at Luton station. The team moved at the end of March and there are now six officers and a sergeant based permanently at Luton and they are already getting down to serious work. Sergeant Craig Naylor, who is proud of the impact his team has already had, said: We ve only been here for a couple of weeks but have noticed significant improvements. Officers are now able to spend their whole shift on patch allowing for greater visibility and time spent on investigations. We can be on the scene of a crime or network incident very quickly. This has increased confidence train staff have in us and our capabilities to make a real difference. The move to Luton station has also enabled BTP to work even more closely with Bedfordshire Police and share relevant intelligence. Luton BTP has full access to Bedfordshire Police custody suites and is in regular communication with their officers. For Joe Healy from Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), who is Station Manager for Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, and Leagrave stations, the arrival of the BTP team is welcome news. Joe said: It s been fantastic to have BTP officers to hand who are experts in their field and proactive in tackling the issues we face. Anti-social behaviour, theft, fare evasion and staff assault are all areas BTP has helped with already from their new base here in Luton. Long may it continue. BTP has also struck up a good relationship with transport charities such as Sustrans, and Luton Council to help prevent bike theft in and around Luton rail station. Bike security marking workshops have already been held and GTR has also kindly given BTP officers bike locks to hand out to cycling commuters to deter thieves from the station bike-bay. As well as being in the thick of the action at Luton station, officers continue with day-to-day operations such as policing late night trains at the weekend when anti-social behaviour can arise. The Luton team are already making a real impact. B Division now has a dedicated team working on suicide prevention and mental health. The team s overriding objective is to protect vulnerable people on the railway by taking a partnership approach towards dealing with suicide prevention and mental health issues. Headed by Inspector Kasia Filipek, the team works closely with Police Liaison Team nurses, psychiatric nurses, social services, GP surgeries, mental health teams and the Samaritans. Since January, when the team launched, they have put in place a number of processes to improve the way information is shared and then acted on. Inspector Filipek said: By sharing information with experts in the mental health field and using police intelligence, we aim to prevent more suicides on the railways. Our First Fix team is there to monitor live issues and advise on whether a Suicide Prevention Plan is needed and, later on, whether a prosecution should be pursued. The Problem Solving team then uses evidence gathered to review and inform future BTP deployments across B Division. This joint-working and evidence-based planning will help vulnerable individuals get the professional support they need. If you d like more information on the team, please B-SPMH@btp.pnn.police.uk. 04 PLATFORM ISSUE 06 MAY

4 Football in focus The behaviour of travelling football fans is a hot topic for BTP. There is growing concern that a significant minority of fans are now using the cover of supporting their team on away days to engage in anti-social behaviour on the rail network. To address the issue of football-related anti-social behaviour, BTP hosted a football summit in April to bring together clubs, campaign organisations, media, train companies and individuals with a common interest in wanting to improve the behaviour of travelling fans. The summit heard from train staff and passengers who have been impacted by anti-social, violent or thuggish behaviour previously. Speaking at the event at BTP Force Head Quarters, Chief Constable Paul Crowther said: Listening to the experiences of passengers and staff, what is clear is that, as a society, we have, unfortunately, become too tolerant of this type of casual yobbish behaviour. A vast majority of football fans behave sensibly and safely when they travel. We want to find ways to protect and support those fans, as well as staff and all other members of the public from the actions of a small minority. BTP takes the issue of football-related anti-social behaviour very seriously and has a dedicated B Division Football Unit. The team, headed by Superintendent Jenny Gilmer, works in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service and local constabularies to ensure as much intelligence is shared as possible before and after big games. at weekend clashes or midweek evening games that could cause potential problems. These typically arise if teams with an existing rivalry are scheduled to meet. However, what might appear a rather innocuous meeting between two clubs from opposite ends for the country may actually carry a lot of tension and potential for trouble. Similarly, if several teams are due to travel to the capital over the same weekend, there s always the possibility of flash-points. Superintendent Gilmer said: It s our job to ensure that once we have gathered all the intelligence available, we police the network firmly and fairly on any given match day. We want to ensure fans enjoy travelling together to watch their team whilst at the same time that they are respectful of others who are going about their own business. On match days, we prioritise which games to focus on according to the category rating we apply. We are in constant contact with our colleagues across the different BTP divisions. This way we get a true picture of what s happening across the country and can anticipate any issues well in advance. As the football season is coming to an end and players and fans alike start dreaming of next year s glory, the B Division Football Unit will be busy planning their operations as soon as the new fixture list is released. 06 The B Division Football Unit gets to work long before the season has even kicked off. When the fixture list is released in June, BTP works in conjunction with the football authorities and looks PLATFORM ISSUE 06 MAY

5 A wheel-y good story for local bike charity Schoolboys commended for bravery Representatives from Abellio Greater Anglia, Network Rail and BTP attended an assembly on Friday 14 February at the Anglo European School in Ingatestone in recognition of the actions of a group of students at Ingatestone rail station. Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and B Division officers have been working together to ensure that abandoned bikes at stations are put to good use by donating them to the Wheels Community Youth Project, which helps disadvantaged children gain important life skills. In conjunction with GTR and Hertfordshire Constabulary, in excess of 80 bikes have already been donated to the charity. Superintendent Jason Bunyard, who heads up BTP s anti-theft cycle campaign Operations Wiggins, said: Over the past few years we have seen an increase in passengers using bikes to travel to and from railway stations. We are pleased that bikes which may have been mislaid, stolen, lost or abandoned have been recovered and the plan is to put them to good use. Kevin Jones of the Wheels Community Youth Project said: I would like to say a big thank you to British Transport Police and Govia Thameslink Railway for donating these bikes to us. This will help us establish the cycle project and greatly increase the amount of children we can support. I look forward to working with BTP and GTR again. All of the bikes that are removed from the network are stored in a distribution centre at Letchworth where they are photographed and checked against crime reports before being donated. The Distribution Support Co-ordinator, Gary Wilson, who works for GTR, said: It s very rewarding what we ve achieved through our work with British Transport Police and abandoned bikes. BTP has been excellent at reuniting bikes with their owners if they ve been mislaid or stolen and where they ve been abandoned or an owner cannot be found we know we can get them to the Wheels Community Youth Project, who can use them to teach skills and provide transport for young people. Operation Wiggins cycle surgeries The latest bike marking event at Stevenage station was a success. On 27 April during evening rushhour, 20 bikes were safety-marked and 16 locks were handed out to bike owners. Teams across B Division hold cycle surgeries at stations throughout the year as part of Operation Wiggins. The next Operation Wiggins day of action will be Tuesday 9 June. A 14-year-old schoolboy was commended for his compassionate actions when he came across a distressed woman at Ingatestone station. He called the police to inform them that he and his friends had helped to prevent a woman from hurting herself. The boys were alone at the station as no one was on duty at the time. They talked to the woman and kept her away from the platform whilst trains were passing until BTP officers arrived 10 minutes later. The woman was later detained under the Mental Health Act and given the medical assistance required. B Division Sergeant Wendy Buck, recognised the boys brave, compassionate actions on the day and said: Their quick-thinking and tremendous courage undoubtedly saved a life that day. Anglo European School s Head Teacher, David Barrs, asked the boys to come to the front of the assembly hall to thank them for their actions and expressed his pride. They were each awarded with a 100 Red Letter Day from Jay Thompson, Abellio Greater Anglia s Head of Safety, who said: We wanted to recognise how brave the boys were to intervene and help this vulnerable person. Thank you to everyone involved. 08 PLATFORM ISSUE 06 MAY

6 Improving passenger confidence is a key priority for British Transport Police. That s why B Division has listened to passengers and is now taking action to address the issues that matter most to them. Finding out what passengers want is vital to Superintendent Chris Horton, who is leading on help inform BTP s approach to how it polices the increasing passenger confidence on B Division, railways and identify what the Force can do to said: We ve set ourselves an ambitious challenge make passengers feel more confident when using to increase passenger confidence at B Division the network. Using results from the National Rail stations in the coming year. Passenger Survey regarding personal safety and security and also our own public consultation, we you said, we did have been able to build a picture of the issues that may affect passenger confidence. The public consultation, completed by more than 6,000 people, told us that increased police presence, more officers on late-night and weekend service and tackling anti-social behaviour are priorities for passengers across the country. B Division has identified 39 stations where there is a particular need to improve public confidence. Officers are taking a problem-solving approach to address the issues that may affect confidence at these locations. By working with rail staff, liaising with train operators and passengers, our officers are able to coordinate a joint effort to improve passenger confidence and feed back to the public what action has been taken. In May, BTP launched its You said, we did campaign at a number of stations to demonstrate that passengers have been listened to and action is being taken. Throughout the year, officers will engage with passengers and railway staff, encouraging them to give further feedback and influence what issues BTP focuses on. To help us achieve this, it s vital that we work closely with our industry partners to make a difference for rail passengers. By listening to their feedback, we re able to take action to address the issues that matter to them most. Rail staff survey Finding out the views of rail staff is also fundamental to improving the service BTP delivers. Throughout April and May, rail staff were encouraged to complete a survey about BTP s work to ensure their views are taken into account. The results will be used to inform BTP s strategy for improving rail staff confidence. 10 PLATFORM ISSUE 06 MAY

7 Special Report The year ahead Crime across Britain s railways is continuing to fall. BTP is now on course to meet our 20:20:10 objectives. By 2019, we aim to: Reduce disruption by 20% New targets, driven by national passenger feedback have officially been handed over to BTP. The British Transport Police Authority (BTPA), which oversees BTP s work, has set targets which aim to increase visible policing, especially late at night and crackdown on antisocial behaviour and crimes that cause train disruptions and delays. To maximise resources, there will be an emphasis on more intelligence-led policing including Operation Trafalgar which uses years of data to identify crime hotspots by time and location. This allows BTP to focus Reduce crime by 20% Looking forward to 2015/16 Increase passenger confidence by 10% on preventing rather than reacting to crime. Train operating company management have also worked closely with BTPA and BTP and emphasised the need to tackle staff assaults and reduce overall disruption on the rail network. B Division s Chief Superintendent Paul Brogden, said: Public confidence is crucial to what we do and we re working hard to improve this by setting ourselves challenging targets to reduce crime, reduce disruption and increase our visibility across the Sub-Divisions in the coming year. TfL targets 2015/16 Reduce the number of notifiable crimes on London Underground and DLR to be no more than 6.8 crimes per million passenger journeys Reduce violence and aggression towards staff Carry out a minimum of 150 joint operations with the DLR Increase the number of positive policing outcomes around sexual offences by 20% Achieve 80% visibility at identified hotspots Reduce incidents that lead to lost customer hours (trespass and antisocial behaviour are the most common issues) on the network South targets 2015/16 Reduce bicycle offences by at least 10% Carry out a minimum of 15 problem solving plans to tackle trespass and fatality disruption Carry out a minimum of 16 problem solving plans at the lowest confidence stations identified Achieve 80% visibility at identified hotspot locations To carry out a total of 490 on-train patrols during Friday evenings East targets 2015/16 Reduce bicycle offences by at least 10% Carry out a minimum of 20 problem solving plans to tackle trespass and fatality related disruption Carry out a minimum of 23 problem solving plans at the lowest confidence stations Operation Trafalgar locations to achieve 80% visibility at identified hotspots To carry out a total of 588 on-train patrols during Friday evenings National targets for 2015/16 include: Reduce crime by at least 3% Reduce violent crime by at least 10% Achieve at least 78.8% confidence rating for passengers as measured by the National Rail Passenger Survey Increase passenger confidence at 20 stations with the lowest confidence ratings 12 View the plans at PLATFORM ISSUE 06 MAY

8 Mentoring scheme to build staff confidence 14 An innovative new mentoring scheme has been launched at Euston station in a bid to tackle staff assaults. Sergeant Zane Awan has identified rail staff at risk of being repeat victims of violence or verbal abuse from passengers. He has buddied up three station sergeants with three members of rail staff and arranged structured debrief sessions. These hour-long sessions are as informal and inclusive as possible, often involving line-managers and union representatives. Virgin Trains Security manager, Eoin Brunton, praised the new mentoring scheme: As well as the pastoral side of the mentoring and building closer relations between staff and BTP officers, the scenario-based training also helps on a practical level. Being able to identify warningsigns from irate passengers and the potential for flash-points is invaluable. Also knowing when to engage and when to disengage and call in assistance from BTP officers is key for our staff and their personal safety. Although still only in pilot mode, the scheme has already reaped positive results. Euston station reported a 75% reduction in violent incidents for April this year, compared with The staff who have participated in the scheme appreciate the debriefs they have attended which have been described as accessible, informal, and practical. Plans are afoot for the mentoring scheme to be rolled out to C Division based on the initial positive feedback from Virgin and London Midland staff. Sergeant Awan said: This is testament to a job well done at Euston, however we re never complacent and we want to ensure that staff assaults and verbal attacks become a thing of the past. Driving down disruption BTP is working towards achieving a 20% reduction in overall disruption on the railway network by To help hit this ambitious target, Chief Superintendent Paul Brogden commissioned a report to look for ways to reduce delays for the travelling public. A comprehensive profile focusing on what issues caused frequent disruption was produced in August 2014 and is helping to drive down delays on B Division. One particular casestudy shows the impact the profile is having in reducing disruption. On the route between Gordon Park and Winchmore Hill Stations, trespass and malicious obstruction was found to be a real problem. The total disruption minutes lost peaked in March 2015 at 739 minutes. After meeting with BTP analyst Cassandra Unger and Alex Sullivan-Wilson of Network Rail, Temporary Inspector James Hards took a problem-solving approach to address the disruption. Further consultation with Crime Reduction Officer Tim Ramskill led to a site survey which concluded that extensive fencing installation was required to keep trespassers out. Network Rail s Local Operations Manager, Nigel Meek, said: Together we decided the practical solution was to improve the fencing and install a 160m x 1.8m high, powder-coated green Palisade. Since the installation of the fencing, we have had no more incidents at this location. The fencing has been checked to ensure that trespassers have not returned to damage it to gain access and I m pleased to say it remains intact. The installation was completed on 23 March. Royal Oman Police learn from the best! B Division recently welcomed visitors from the Royal Oman Police who wanted to learn about how a major rail terminus in the centre of London is policed. The Royal Oman Police organised the visit in conjunction with the Department for Transport. They wanted to understand the blueprint for success in policing a major transport system as they prepare for a new high-speed, cross-border railway in the Gulf. As well as studying rail terminus infrastructure and the physical design of stations such as St Pancras International, they were particularly impressed by the specialist support functions that exist within BTP s B Division, such as firearms and the dogs section as well as 24 hour response capabilities. They also learned more about how the UK Border is policed in partnership with French and Belgian authorities who work on the Eurostar route. So impressed were the visitors from the Royal Oman Police, they have arranged a repeat visit for the end of May to learn more about BTP s unique policing model. Inspector Ricky Twyford, who is in charge of BTP s operation at Kings Cross and St Pancras was delighted with the feedback his team received: It s really pleasing to get recognition as specialists in our field. We are internationally renowned when it comes to railway security and by sharing our expertise and knowledge with partners around the globe, we can help to make the railways safer across the world. That the Royal Oman Police have already planned a return trip is testament to the fact we are world-leaders in transport policing. PLATFORM ISSUE 06 MAY

9 The third annual Complementary Policing Awards took place on Monday 30 March to recognise and celebrate work carried out by BTP, rail industry staff and volunteers. Awards Complementary Policing Community Engagement of the Year Awarded to the Barnet Rail Pastors who are volunteers from local churches. They patrol Mill Hill Broadway, Cricklewood and Hendon Railway stations in their distinctive light blue uniforms and caps to assist vulnerable people. HS1 Assistant Chief Constable Stephen Thomas who presented the awards said: Their efforts assisted BTP in increasing passenger confidence, Chief reducing crime on the railways on and Patrol meeting the Force s aims and objectives. RSAS Scheme Member of the Year Awarded to Purley Southern Rail Neighbourhood Officers (RNO). The Purley RNOs work closely with Croydon BTP. They have made a major contribution to crime reduction objectives including: regular patrols of hot spots, numerous days of action and surgeries and supporting staff with an early intervention programme. Their contribution to the early intervention programme has helped reduce staff assaults by 50%. BTP Community Volunteer Awarded to Richard Eames. Richard is the longest serving of all BTP s community volunteers and has been with the scheme since it started. He has provided invaluable assistance and support to the teams he has been a part of. Special Long Service Medal Awarded to Special Constable Veer Parmar, Special Constable Dominic Fee and Special Constable Andrew Vaughan. Community Volunteer of the Year Awarded to Peter Eggleton. Peter started volunteering in April 2014 and has provided invaluable support to the Guildford team. He has been instrumental in helping to detect and deter cycle crime by initiating joint working between Rail Community Officers, the Divisional Intelligence Bureau and local officers. Peter has always shown willing in supporting events and provides regular information updates on cycle crime which prove valuable to management teams PLATFORM ISSUE 06 MAY

10 COURT REPORT Samuel Connelly Ansar Mahmood Emergency response vehicle wins rail industry award It may not be an Oscar, but a unique partnership between BTP and the South West Trains- Network Rail Alliance has fought off stiff competition to win a prestigious national award. The Emergency Intervention Unit (EIU) allows a joint police and rail response to serious operational incidents that pose a threat to life or seriously disrupt the railway. The Unit won the Passenger Safety category at the UK Rail Industry Awards on Thursday 19 February. The EIU is a dedicated police response vehicle, with police officers and rail staff on board, together with police incident-management and railway operational equipment. The unit features flashing blue lights and emergency sirens which helps it to reach incidents quicker, reducing response times and minimising impact on the railway. It is based at London Waterloo and patrols the South West Trains Metro area as far as Wokingham, Weybridge and Epsom. Based on a successful trial during the 2012 London Olympics, the EIU was formally introduced in January In a ten-month review, the EIU vehicle was deployed 619 times, and has played a vital role in saving lives, reducing disruption and helping rail services to return to normal after incidents. Chief Constable Paul Crowther, who attended the ceremony alongside colleagues from BTP and South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance said: I m delighted that our innovative partnership working with the industry has been formally recognised through winning this award. Passenger safety is a priority for us, and the EIU enables officers to work side-by-side with rail industry colleagues to save lives and reduce disruption. Due to the success of the EIU with the South West Trains- Network Rail Alliance, we have extended its use and further units now protect lines between Croydon and Gatwick, and routes out of Liverpool Street. Arthur Pretorius, Customer Service Director for the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance, said: The EIU allows BTP officers and railway engineers to get to incidents quickly, in the same way as other emergency services can. Rail repairs can be made even quicker. KENT MAN BOUGHT TO JUSTICE THANKS TO BTP DISCREET TEXT A 27-year-old man from Kent has been sentenced to 32 weeks in prison after BTP officers were alerted to a fight on board a train via the discreet text service Samuel Connelly, of Bellfield Road, Orpington, boarded a train at King Cross station heading towards Cambridge on Monday, 13 April. Within a few minutes of Connelly boarding the train a man travelling on the service became aware of him due to his loudness and abusive behaviour. Connelly became verbally aggressive towards the man and started to become aggressive towards other members of the public, who entered the carriage, causing several people on board the train to move away, including a family with young children. Connelly continued to be aggressive and asked the man if he wanted a fight. He then moved to a different seat and sat opposite a girl, who he became confrontational towards, causing her to leave the carriage. Another member of the public tried to divert Connelly s attention to prevent the situation from escalating. During this time another passenger on board the service sent a text to BTP s number to make officers aware of the incident. At this point Connelly asked the person who was using his phone to get off his phone and threatened to assault him. Connelly then stood up on his chair and punched a passenger in the face before grabbing him by the neck and pushing him up against a glass partition. When the train arrived at Royston station Connelly was arrested by two BTP officers. MAN CAUGHT BY OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER INAPPROPRIATELY TOUCHING HIMSELF ON TUBE TRAIN IS SENTENCED A 33-year-old man has been sentenced to a suspended jail term and 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) after being caught inappropriately touching himself while standing close to women on Tube trains. An off-duty British Transport Police officer arrested the man after becoming suspicious of his behaviour on the Northern line on Monday, 21 July Kulbir Kalsi, of Southbrook Road, Norbury, appeared at Blackfriars Crown Court on Thursday, 21 May, and was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and given a 10-year SHPO. He was convicted at an earlier hearing, after pleading not guilty. This sentencing result comes just over a month after BTP jointly launched the Report it to stop it campaign with Transport for London (TfL), the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police, which aims to further increase the reporting of unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport in the capital. MAN JAILED FOR SIX YEARS AFTER WOUNDING RAIL STAFF AT LANCASTER GATE UNDERGROUND STATION A 40-year-old man has been sentenced to six years in prison after he pleaded guilty to wounding a member of rail staff at Lancaster Gate London Underground station, following an investigation by BTP officers. Ansar Mahmood, of no fixed abode, was arrested on Friday, 23 January, after he assaulted a London Underground member of staff. The court was told how the member of staff was stood in the station s booking hall near the ticket barrier area on the morning of the assault. Mahmood raised his arm to call the member staff over for assistance then struck him in the head with a weapon causing a cut to his head and left eye. The member of staff felt a blow on the left side of his face above his left eye, but did not initially realise that he had been cut and believed that he had been hit with a fist. Nick Brown, London Underground s Chief Operating Officer, said: This was a horrible, unprovoked attack towards our customer service assistant who was just doing his job. Our staff should be allowed to carry out their daily work duties without fear of attack from the public. Thanks to the work and efforts of the British Transport Police this offender has been successfully prosecuted and we will continue to work with our policing partners to identify offenders and push for the toughest penalties for anyone who abuses our staff. Mahmood was charged with wounding with intent and threatening a person with a blade/sharply pointed article in a public place. He pleaded guilty to the offence at an earlier hearing. 18 PLATFORM ISSUE 06 MAY

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