Carrickfergus Borough Council - Community Safety

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Community Safety

What is community safety?

Community Safety is defined as preventing, reducing and containing the social, environmental and intimidatory factors, which affect people’s right to live without fear of crime and which impact upon their quality of life. It includes preventative measures that contribute to crime reduction and tackle anti-social behaviour. Community Safety is about delivering local solutions to local problems that have been identified by local people.

Background

The Review of the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland (2000) recommended “The development of a Northern Ireland Community Safety Strategy based on extensive consultation with relevant agencies, political structures and the voluntary, private and community sectors.”

It saw the aim of such a strategy as being to “to create the conditions which promote an inclusive partnership-based approach in developing community safety initiatives…..with a view to reducing crime and enhancing community safety.”

The first step began with the publication of a Community Safety Strategy, Creating a Safer Northern Ireland through Partnership in March 2003. This document set out a broad framework for the development of local strategies and action plans to deliver local solutions to local problems. Most importantly, it identified that reducing crime and the fear of crime is not solely a matter for criminal justice agencies. It demands the concerted efforts of the public, private, voluntary and community sectors.

Neighbourhood Watch Information
Please click on the links below for further information regarding:-
Neighbourhood Watch Manual
Neighbourhood Watch Induction Pack
Neighbourhood Watch Card

Carrickfergus Community Safety Partnership

A partnership approach to community safety in the Borough of Carrickfergus was initiated by the local Council in July 2003.  A wide variety of organisations, which had inherited a responsibility for community safety as part of their own work, were operating in isolation and there was a clear need for co-ordination.

The Carrickfergus CSP held its inaugural meeting on 7^th August 2003. This meeting was in recognition of the fact that to reduce crime, the fear of crime and tackle anti-social behaviour, the active participation and representation of all major stakeholders within the local area was required. Representatives from a range of statutory, voluntary and community organisations have met together on a regular basis to develop a local community safety strategy and action plan.

There have been three distinct stages in the development of this community safety strategy for Carrickfergus CSP:

·       The establishment of the Carrickfergus CSP as discussed above;

·        a community safety statistical audit and community consultation;

·       the identification of local priorities to set the parameters of community safety activity in the Borough of Carrickfergus during the next 36 months.

The Carrickfergus Community Safety Partnership has developed a Vision and Mission Statement for the Carrickfergus area:

Vision:            “Securing a safe and harmonious community by meeting local needs through local solutions”

Mission:          “Working in partnership to create a safer Borough”

Members of Carrickfergus CSP

• Carrickfergus Citizens Advice Bureau,
• Carrickfergus Community Drugs and Alcohol Advisory Group,
• Carrickfergus Community Forum,
• Carrickfergus Council and Council officers
• Carrickfergus District Housing Community Network,
• Carrickfergus District Policing Partnership,
• Carrickfergus Housing Executive,
• Carrickfergus PSNI,
• Carrickfergus Women’s Forum,
• Carrickfergus Women’s Aid, 
• Carrickfergus YMCA,
• NI Fire and Rescue Service,
• North Eastern Education and Library Board,
• Probation Board,
• Translink,
• Victim Support,
• Windsor Residents Association
• Youth Justice Agency

Key Strategic Priorities for Carrickfergus CSP 2008-11

·       Anti Social Behaviour

·       Violent Crime (includinghate crime, knife crime, alcohol related violence and domestic violence)

·       Fear of Crime