Ballymena Community Safety Partnership is tackling major issues such as drugs, anti-social behaviour and fear of crime.
The views of local people have contributed to a comprehensive consultation and strategic assessment to inform the Partnership’s Community Safety Strategy 2008-2011. Areas of priority in the new strategy are:-
Radio Link
The 'Shop Link' radio system, originally introduced in Ballymena by the local Chamber of Trade & Commerce, forms part of the overall retail crime prevention strategy developed in partnership with the business community and PSNI. The project represents a perfect example of the private sector in Ballymena taking responsibility for their own internal crime prevention measures. It is now operated by Ballymena Retailers Against Crime and involves the provision of two-way radios to retailers in the town so they can inform each other of potential problems. Membership currently stands at approximately 170, making the Ballymena scheme proportionally the largest in Northern Ireland (daytime economy).
Trevor Parker, Radio Link Manager demonstrates the use of a handset for a staff member at Dorothy Perkins
Safer School Travel Project
The Safer School Travel Partnership was initiated in Ballymena as a response to problems with bullying at the bus station and on buses. Coordinated by Ballymena Community Safety Partnership, the project involves a working partnership made up of PSNI, local school principals, Translink, North Eastern Education and Library Board, Childline and Department of Education.
A number of practical initiatives have taken place. These include :-
* direct pick-up of young people by buses at the school
* enforcement of bus pass regulations
* increased supervision at the bus station and busstops by Translink, PSNI and local school staff
* Translink Safety Bus visits schools to instruct first year pupils in safe bus usage
Quads and scramblers injury prevention leaflet
Sustaining Communities Northern Ireland, one of a number of organisations on the Partnership representing communities, coordinated the production of a leaflet entitled “The latest craze…or just plain crazy”. The leaflet highlights the legal responsibilities of users of quads, gopeds and mini motos as well as raising awareness of safety issues. Every household in Ballymena received copies of the leaflet which it is hoped will help reduce the nuisance use of these vehicles in local areas.
Bonfire Safety Project
Ballymena Community Safety Partnership offers a small amount of funding to encourage festival type activities to mark the occasion traditionally associated with bonfires. Bonfires in the Borough have sometimes been associated with anti-social behaviour and under-age drinking. The Bonfire Festival Project encourages more family friendly activities and where bonfires are inevitable, advice on how to run those bonfires as safely as possible. In Galgorm this year additional funding was provided by Art of Regeneration to stage a fireworks/pyrotechnic display as the finale for the community festival. Participants were able to view a fire drawing of Galgorm Castle silhouetted against the night sky.
Bee Safe
800 plus local primary school pupils attended the Bee Safe event in Ballymena North this year and benefited from a wide range of talks on topics such as personal safety, fire safety, road safety, anti-social behaviour and bullying.
"The Translink Safety Bus is used to educate young people in the safe and proper use of buses"
Bilingual Advocacy Project
This project aims to reduce fear of crime among ethnic minorities through provision of interpreting services to members of the Czech, Slovak and Romanian communities. Focus groups enable advice to be distributed regarding personal and road safety and efforts continue to support the integration of ethnic minorities into local communities in Ballymena Borough.
Drug and alcohol outreach project
Through ongoing contact with chronic users of drugs and alcohol the aim is to engineer referrals to treatment agencies thus supporting a lifestyle change for these individuals. Ultimately it’s hoped this will reduce the level of drug and alcohol-related harm and the incidence of crime and anti-social behaviour.
Anyone requiring further information in relation to community safety should contact 25633930.
