SAFER COMMUNTIES
The council’s
ParkGuard officers
on patrol with
their dog
On call
Have you ever
experienced anti-social
behaviour in a park?
Or had to suffer noisy
neighbours? Council
teams and police officers
are out there working to
nip it in the bud.
36
around ealing
Autumn 2014
I
t is not something everyone will
have experienced. And, most antisocial behaviour is of a low-level.
However, when it does happen to
you it is never pleasant and, last year,
the council received more than 8,000
complaints relating to noise nuisance,
anti-social behaviour or criminal activity.
Complaints varied from loud parties to
harassment. For those officers out on
patrol, no two days are ever the same.
And the council’s teams are
leading up to a typically busy time
of the year. With fireworks such a
feature of autumn festivals, including
bonfire night, they can unfortunately
sometimes become tools for antisocial antics; and over-exuberance at
Halloween can occasionally spill over
into intimidation.
Councillor Ranjit Dheer, cabinet
member for commun ity services and
safety, said: “Our council teams work
hard to make our borough safer. By
working together, and also handin-hand with the police and other
organisations, they are very effective
at identifying and tackling problems
in the most appropriate way. And,
when enough is enough, they do not
hesitate to make sure robust legal
action is begun.
“We want everyone to enjoy
the festivals, fireworks and other
events this autumn, but it is all about
consideration for others. If behaviour
becomes anti-social, the council is
ready to do something about it.”
NOISE AND NUISANCE TEAM
This is a dedicated service which
operates seven days a week, late into
the night. Council officers are available
to respond to complaints, gather
first-hand evidence and approach the
alleged perpetrators. In persistent cases
of nuisance, the officers often take
legal action by serving enforcement
notices, seizing loud stereos or TVs, and
taking noise makers to court if they are
unwilling to alter their behaviour.
PARKGUARD TEAM
A recent addition, the ParkGuard officers
are regularly tasked to patrol councilowned areas such as housing estates
and parks – or anywhere recognised as a
‘hotspot’ of anti-social behaviour. It has
proved extremely effective in gathering
evidence and identifying problems,
which helps the council and police to
tackle anti-social behaviour across the
borough. The ParkGuard team also