Cross-border initiative yields results for rural policing teams
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Cross-border initiative yields results for rural policing teams
[Vehicles were stopped in Church Brampton to allow inspection by the DVSA while police conducted driver checks]
Neighbourhood police officers from Northamptonshire and Leicestershire joined forces with vehicle inspectors from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to take 18 dangerous and illegal vehicles off the road in just one day.
On Friday, 22 September, officers from both forces carried out marked and unmarked patrols and worked with DVSA operatives to carry out vehicle roadworthiness and driver checks in Church Brampton, Northamptonshire, and Market Harborough, Leicestershire.
In Church Brampton, six vehicles were banned from the road for safety issues including defective tyres and steering, and seven people reported for criminal offences including vehicle defects and breaching weight restrictions.
In Market Harborough, nine more vehicles were prohibited and one person reported for further offences. Three vehicles were also seized – two for having no road tax and one where the driver did not hold a driving licence.
PC John Hutchings, of Northamptonshire Police’s Neighbourhood Rural Team for Daventry and South Northants, said: “As part of ongoing regular work with my Leicestershire neighbourhood counterpart PC Stephen Winn and colleagues from EMOpPS and the DVSA, we conducted a day of action without borders.
“By thinking outside the box we achieved high visibility patrols, took criminals off the road, reduced the risk to road users with the other prohibitions and reassured our communities that we are listening to them and acting on what they tell us.”
PC Hutchings added he was looking forward to continuing to work with neighbouring community teams and the DVSA to identify and prevent criminal activity in the area.
Richard Gent, Neighbourhood Watch coordinator and police liaison for Church Brampton said: “I was really impressed with PC Hutchings' proactive cross-border operation on Friday to help tackle crime in Church Brampton. It’s great to see some quick results.”
District Sergeant Sam Dobbs added: “This action shows we are prepared to cross borders to prevent crime, because the people causing problems in Northamptonshire are the same people doing so in Leicestershire.
“Our new policing model is all about this kind of smarter working, providing reassurance messages to the local community in a different way whilst creating a hostile environment for rural criminals.”