New Minorities Unit

A new team is working for police in East Kent helping people from minority groups who are victims of crime.

The team brings together detectives investigating crimes with community liaison officers who work helping support those from minority groups who report incidents.

Det Insp Tony Hubbard, who is leading the team, said: “The officers are not new to the work but we felt that we would be able to provide a better service by bringing the liaison officers closer to the crime investigators. For the majority of the week we will have two detectives who will be dedicated to investigating and reviewing crimes reported from minority groups. We intend that this will ensure continuity both for victims of crime and those from a number of different organisations in the community who work to support them. ”

For the police minority groups include those involving gender, religion and beliefs, sexual orientation, race, disability or age.

The team will work across the Canterbury and Thanet areas of East Kent where in the 12 months up to the end of February this year there were 174 crimes recorded against members of minority groups (173 for the 12 months up to February 2007).

The new team has been welcomed by Michael Bukht, the Chair of Canterbury and District Ethnic Minority Independent Council, who said: “The new unit is an excellent initiative to deal with hate crime. It should enhance the successful initiatives already in existence in the district to promote tolerance and  goodwill"

Members of the team, who are based at Herne Bay, are investigators Det Cons Ellen Cartwright and John Tharp and community liaison officers  PCs Kath Mole, Chris Porter and Neil Askew.

Photo shows from left to right (back row) PC Neil Askew, Det Con Ellen Cartwright, Det Con John Tharp and front row PC Kath Mole and Det Insp Tony Hubbard. PC Chris Porter is not pictured.

Safer Spring Warning

As the weather slowly warms up and people make the most of the outdoors, the coastal neighbourhood team is asking parents to help prevent children from getting into trouble. Kent Police will be cracking down on anti-social behaviour as part of the Safer Spring campaign. (launched 10 March 2008).

Canterbury and coastal neighbourhood Inspector Gordon Etheridge said: “Children and young people will start to play and congregate outside as the evenings get lighter and warmer. We want our young people to enjoy being outside and being active, but it is important that they do so responsibly and the community and its residents are respected.

“Parents can help us by checking it is safe where their children play and that they can contact them easily. While we understand parents want their children to play close by, it is important that ball games, for example, are played in appropriate places.”

A number of initiatives will be launched later in the spring for young people in Herne Bay, such as the BMX track in Broomfield which opens in May. Last year, the skate park in Swalecliffe was widely used.

Supt Chris Hogben says: “We are here to help prevent the young people of Herne Bay from getting into trouble and also to protect residents’ quality of life. Children need to be aware that our community support officers will seize any alcohol obtained by those who are underage and a letter will go home to their parents. Being abusive also risks police action for public order offences.”

Young people and residents are invited to air any neighbourhood concerns at the local Partner And Communities Together (PACT) meetings, which are regularly advertised on posters around the town. Details of these meetings can also be found on the Kent Police website www.kent.police.uk

The Herne Bay neighbourhood team, led by Inspector Etheridge and supported by Sgt Dave Brenchley, can be contacted directly on 01227 744793.

Residents in Heron ward can contact PC Kevin O’Rourke on 01227 744732 and PCSO Matt Sedgewick on 01227 744793 or 07772 226056.

Residents in Greenhill and Eddington wards can contact PC Jason Heather on 01227 744732 or 07980 683758, and PCSO Rachel Harvey on 01227 744793 or 07772 226104. PC Heather will soon be joned by a new community support officer who will work in the West Bay area.

Residents in Herne and Broomfield can contact PC Mark Rogers on 01227 868252 and PCSO Matt Hand on 01227 744793 or 07772 226129. PC Rogers and PCSO Becky Glaiser are also responsible for Reculver and Beltinge. You can contact PCSO Glaiser on 01227 744793 or 07772 226235.

PC Mark Rogers (left) has replaced PC Graham Holdstock who has left to join the Tactical Operations department of Kent Police based at Coldharbour near Maidstone. It is a return to a neighbourhood role for Mark who worked in Whitstable as a neighbourhood officer before leaving a year ago to work in a different post based at Canterbury police station.