Will the police continue to provide emergency and 24-hour response?

Yes, emergency and 24-hour response remains a priority for Suffolk Constabulary. This will be provided by the Neighbourhood Response Teams as well as the officers in the Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

 

What is a Safer Neighbourhood Team?

A dedicated team made up of police officers, police community support officers, special constables, volunteers and other organisations. Council workers such as community wardens are also involved. They all work together with local people in their neighbourhood to improve their quality of life.

What is a neighbourhood?

In urban areas, a neighbourhood may be a small area of a town. In rural areas, a neighbourhood may cover a number of parishes. The neighbourhoods have been created in consultation with local councils, and take into account levels of police demand, resources and ward boundaries.

Why have Safer Neighbourhood Teams been created?

The Government promised all local communities would have a local Safer Neighbourhood Team by 2008. These teams address issues affecting quality of life and feelings of safety.

How do I find out who is on my local Safer Neighbourhood Team?

You can access details about your team by visiting your local Safer Neighbourhood Team website. You can also find out about the other organisations working with the team, such as the district and borough councils and the county council.
To see your team’s website, please click on the following: Team Sites

How do I get in touch with my Safer Neighbourhood Team and when will they be available?
Each Safer Neighbourhood team has its own website, where you can find your local team’s address, contact details and opening hours.

What is the role of the police in the Safer Neighbourhood Team?
Safer Neighbourhood Teams are staffed largely by sergeants, constables, police community support officers, specials and volunteers.

They work with other team members such as youth workers, housing associations and anti-social behaviour co-ordinators to identify and tackle problems which have been raised by the local community.

What is a police community support officer?

Police community support officers have some police powers, which are mainly focused on promoting community safety and stopping anti-social behaviour. They are not police officers but will deal with ‘low-level’ crime and anti-social behaviour.

What is a community warden?

Community wardens are members of staff from councils and other public organisations who have regular face-to-face contact with the local community. They may be environmental health officers, fire officers, youth workers or social workers, for example. They are able to pass on any concerns from the local community to the Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

How can I find out about the local priorities and problems being addressed in my area?

You can contact Suffolk Constabulary on (01473) 613500 and ask to speak to your local Safer Neighbourhood Team. Safer Neighbourhood Teams will also hold public forums and other engagement events where you can hear about what the team is working on. The top three priorities of each team are also shown on their website, together with updates regading action being taken in respect of these.

How do I report a problem?

You can report a specific problem, including noise nuisance, abandoned cars, fly tipping, and problems relating to dogs by using our ‘report a problem’ form. To access the online reporting form, please click on the following: Report a problem
If you use this facility, your report will be passed to the appropriate team member, which will not always be the police.

How do I get involved?

It is vital people work with their local Safer Neighbourhood Team to improve the quality of life in their area. It is your opportunity to influence the service provided by police and other organisations.

Safer Neighbourhood Teams give you the opportunity to get actively involved in improving the quality of life in your neighbourhood. Depending on where you live, you could:

• Become a volunteer;
• attend your local Safer Neighbourhood Team meetings;
• tell your Safer Neighbourhood Team what your concerns are; and
• join or set up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme in your area
• Become a Special Constable

How do I become a volunteer?

 

Contact your local team in the first instance to find out about any current vacancies.

Why has the number of teams been reduced from 47 to 30?
An internal review took place between September 2007 and February 2008 to look at how SNTs were working and developing. This highlighted that the teams have made great progress in their first year, and the public have been very supportive of their local teams. However, some changes for improvement were identified, and after consultation with partners, certain proposals were put to the Police Authority, which were agreed and include:

1. The merger of some SNT’s into larger geographical areas, meaning a reduction from 47 to 30 teams. This reorganisation has had no overall effect on the number of Police Officers and PCSOs in frontline policing. Establishment of smaller more dedicated team.
2. A reduction in the crime workload and the numbers of events attended by SNT Officers.
3. A new policy to ensure SNT officers maximise the time they spend in their local community for their geographical area.
4. Giving each SNT a police sergeant dedicated to supervising each SNT - they are responsible for managing the team’s SNT’s resources and partnership processes to ensure an efficient and effective service.