Information on Loughborough

Teenagers in Melton given 'Safer Summer' message

Posted on 15/07/2009

police,constabulary,leicestershire police Teenagers in Melton given 'Safer Summer' message

A group of teenagers from the Fairmead Estate in Melton Mowbray are being taken on a series of educational trips to encourage good behaviour and a positive attitude during the school summer holidays. 

The scheme, which is funded and supported by Melton Borough Council, is part of the Force’s ‘Safer Summer’ campaign designed to break down barriers between the police and young people and reduce incidents of graffiti, criminal damage and nuisance that can increase during the school holidays.  Leicestershire County Council’s Youth Offending Service is also involved.    

The six week programme of events, which involves one trip a week, has been drawn up by PC Lou Wills; the neighbourhood beat officer for the Fairmead Estate and the Borough Councils’ Anti-Social Behaviour Officer, George Simpson.  They have selected eight young people from the estate whose families have all agreed they can take part.  They are aged between 14 and 16 and have been told that if they become involved in any incidents of anti-social behaviour during the summer holiday they will lose their place on the trip to Alton Towers at the end of the scheme. 

PC Lou Wills said; “We’ve had a very positive response from the young people and their parents and they’ve all agreed to sign up to the conditions of the scheme.  We hope that as they become involved in the programme we will get to know them and that will enable us to build a good relationship and help us raise awareness of the detrimental effect anti-social behaviour can have on others.  We also want to encourage them to take part in positive and constructive activities while they are off school and hope our programme of events will be interesting, fun and educational.”

The programme includes a visit to Melton police station, the Firearms Department and Dog Section at Leicestershire Constabulary Force headquarters, a tour of Stocken Prison, a look round the police helicopter and a team building day making rafts. The programme ends on August 19th with a trip to Alton Towers.

Melton Borough Councils’ Anti-Social Behaviour Officer, George Simpson, said; “I really hope the programme of events that we have put together will be lots of fun while at the same time giving the young people a chance to think about their behaviour when they are out and about and why it might upset local residents.   Hopefully that will have a positive impact on the communities in which they live and ensure that everyone has a safer summer.” 

During the Safer Summer campaign, officers are also confiscating alcohol from anyone under the age of 18 and pouring it away, they’ll be dispersing people from the town if their behaviour is deemed inappropriate and likely to cause trouble.  Test Purchasing Operations are also being run across the Borough to make sure pubs and off licenses are abiding by the law and not selling alcohol to anyone under 18 and extra patrols are also in place in Melton Town Centre, particularly on a Friday and Saturday nights.