A senior officer, with responsibility for policing in Ripon, has reassured people the city does not have a major problem with gangs after a mother expressed concerns.
The mother, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Stray Ferret she and other parents feared Ripon was witnessing an increase in gangs, violence and intimidation.
There have also been recent incidents of vandalism, including the breaking of windows in the city centre and damage caused to the surface of a children’s playground in Grove Lane.
The mother said:
“The impression that I and other mothers I meet have is that there is a growing gang culture, which links into drug taking and dealing.
“It can be intimidating seeing groups of youths, some on bikes, congregating in parts of the city late at night and we are concerned that some might be carrying knives. We fear that somebody is going to be hurt and believe that something needs to be done.”
Inspector Steve Breen, (pictured above) who presented a report to Harrogate Borough Council in March on actions taken by North Yorkshire Police to tackle knife crime, said he wanted to assuage concerns and introduce a sense of proportion.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“We have essentially eradicated knife crime in Ripon through proactive use of stop and search tactics and intelligence-led disruption activity, leading to the imprisonment of some key individuals.”
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He added
“This problem existed within a small group of drug users and dealers across the district and did not impinge on innocent members of the public. There is no problem with knife crime in Ripon.”
Regarding the vandalism that temporarily closed the children’s playground, Insp Breen said:
“I reinforce the message that parents need to know where their children are, who they are with, and what they are up to.
“I urge the public to report issues they are concerned about via 101 or 999 in an emergency.”
“We are active in suppressing antisocial behaviour through home visits to problem individuals, the issuing of cease and desist letters, and working with schools, social workers, youth charities and other partners to engage and divert young people from nuisance activity.”
Vandalism closes Ripon playground
A vandal attack has caused the closure of the Grove Lane children’s play area in Ripon.
A rubberised surface designed to soften falls for children playing on the swings has been damaged and the area will remain closed for weeks until it is repaired.
All Ripon city councillors were informed of the vandalism on Wednesday, after Jennifer Love, Harrogate Borough Council’s (HBC) technical officer for parks and playgrounds, contacted the city council.
In an email, she said:
“Unfortunately I have been forced to close and lock up Grove Lane Play area due to vandalism of the safety surfaces.
“I will arrange the repairs, but it could take a few weeks to resolve and the repair will cost over £2,000.”
Anybody who witnessed suspicious activity in the area of the playground is asked to contact the police on 101.
Ward councillor and the leader of Ripon City Council, Andrew Williams, said:
“It is very sad that mindless morons with nothing better to do have closed the play area intended for local children. I welcome that Harrogate Borough Council will repair and get the play area open again, but this is council tax that could have been better spent given the current economic climate.”
The Grove Lane play area where the rubberised surface has been damaged.
The attack on the play area is the latest incident in a spate of vandalism and other antisocial behaviour in Ripon.
In recent weeks, a number of city centre premises have had windows vandalised, graffiti containing an obscenity was daubed on a wall in close proximity to the cathedral and fly tippers dumped old furniture and rubbish on a secluded green area on Stonebridgegate.
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Earlier this year, Ripon police called for parents to be more vigilant to help tackle anti-social behaviour in the city,
Making a direct appeal for assistance, Sergeant Clare Mayes of North Yorkshire Police’s Ripon Neighbourhood Policing Team said:
Offensive graffiti removed from wall near Ripon Cathedral“Parents, please take responsibility and find out where your children have been, what they’ve been up to and who they have been with – before you receive a knock on the door from a police officer.“
North Yorkshire Police are continuing to investigate an incident in which graffiti, including an expletive, was daubed on a wall across the road from Ripon Cathedral.
The offensive message targeting the Conservatives has now been removed after being reported to the police last Friday morning.
Harrogate Borough Council tweeted today that although the graffiti did not appear on council land, it had decided to remove it “given the language used”.
Police ask anybody who has information about the perpetrators to call 101 and quote the reference number 12200150072.
The wall is yards from the cathedral on Minster Road – one of the main traffic and pedestrian thoroughfares in Ripon.
The graffiti is another example of anti-social behaviour in the city.
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Other incidents include vandalised windows and fly-tipping.
Some of the anti-social acts have been carried out by children and earlier this year Ripon police called for parents to be more vigilant.
Sergeant Clare Mayes of North Yorkshire Police’s Ripon Neighbourhood Policing Team said:
“Parents, please take responsibility and find out where your children have been, what they’ve been up to and who they have been with – before you receive a knock on the door from a police officer.“
Many of the reports received by the police identify young people at the heart of the problems being experienced in the community.
Sergeant Mayes added:
“We all have a part to play in helping everyone to stay safe and feel safe in their homes and any behaviour which undermines this will be dealt with accordingly
“We are absolutely committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and will be doing everything we can to ensure our communities remain safe and pleasant places to live.”
She added:
“We know that lockdown has caused many of our community members to become isolated from their normal social groups and practices, but nothing excuses the unacceptable behaviour we have recently seen and had reported.”
Ripon Neighbourhood Policing Team says it is working with partner agencies to deal with incidents that are reported, but would urge the public to ensure reports are made by calling 101.
Ripon councillor calls for vigilance after his van is stolenFormer Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Sid Hawke, is calling on residents to be vigilant, after his van was stolen from outside his home.
The theft of his blue Ford Transit Sapphire van, between 11.15pm and 11.45pm on Tuesday, June 30, came as a financial blow, which has cost him more than £10,000 and almost two weeks of work as a window cleaner – a job he has done for more than 50 years.
Cllr Hawke, a Ripon city and Harrogate district councillor, told The Stray Ferret:
“The van, with its ladders and cleaning equipment, is my work on four wheels and was gone in a matter of seconds. I was devastated and it has caused me days of inconvenience and disruption.”
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He added:
“I want to bring it to the attention of others, because I suspect my vehicle was stolen to order by professional thieves and has probably been dismantled and its parts sold on. “
Ripon’s combined Police and Fire Station
Cllr Hawke said the van, with the personalised number plate Y60 SJH, had been parked and locked up outside his home on the Low Mill Estate. North Yorkshire Police, to whom the theft was reported, told him that the vehicle was picked up on a camera at the Empress roundabout in Harrogate at 12.15am
Cllr Hawke pointed out: “We all need to be vigilant and report to the police anything that looks suspicious. I don’t think I’ll be getting the van that was stolen back, but raising awareness of criminal activity in the area might help others.”
The theft was also reported to Cllr Hawke’s insurers, but while he waits for his claim to be settled, he has bought a new van, ladders and equipment and is back in business.
Police ask Ripon parents to help reduce anti-social behaviour
Ripon police has called for parents to be more vigilant to help tackle anti-social behaviour in the city,
Making a direct appeal for assistance, sergeant Clare Mayes of North Yorkshire Police’s Ripon Neighbourhood Policing Team said:
“Parents, please take responsibility and find out where your children have been, what they’ve been up to and who they have been with – before you receive a knock on the door from a police officer. “
Many of the reports received by the police identify young people at the heart of the problems being experienced in the community.
A vandalised window at the Lamb and Flag pub in High Skellgate, Ripon
Sergeant Mayes pointed out:
“We all have a part to play in helping everyone to stay safe and feel safe in their homes and any behaviour which undermines this will be dealt with accordingly
“We are absolutely committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and will be doing everything we can to ensure our communities remain safe and pleasant places to live.”
She added:
“We know that lockdown has caused many of our community members to become isolated from their normal social groups and practices, but nothing excuses the unacceptable behaviour we have recently seen and had reported.”
Ripon Neighbourhood Policing Team says it is working with partner agencies to deal with incidents that are reported, but would urge the public to ensure reports are made by calling 101.
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It advises that updates given by members of the community via Facebook or other social media accounts cannot be used as a formal reporting method. Anyone witnessing any anti-social behaviour or crime should report this to by ringing 999 if the incident is ongoing or 101 if it has already happened.
By doing so, witnesses are not only helping the police to deal with incidents in real time but also to build up a picture of what is happening so they can proactively target problem areas.
The police add that any evidence to support reported incidents such as CCTV or mobile phone footage is very helpful in identifying those involved, particularly as it finds suspects may have run away or dispersed when the police arrive.
Witnesses to incidents are advised not get involved in any situation; take whatever details it is safe to obtain and contact the police immediately.