Upcoming Events and News:
Recruitment Drop-in Events For Volunteer Special Constables
Volunteers who want to make a difference in the county are being encouraged to join the ranks of Suffolk’s Special Constabulary.
The county has around 200 special constables who volunteer their time to assist the regular police force in keeping Suffolk safe.
Becoming a special constable is a positive opportunity to develop existing skills or to learn new ones, give something back to your local community and become a part of a diverse organisation that fights crime in the county.
The role of a special constable includes providing high visibility patrols and helping to police major incidents and events. They also offer vital links in the community between the police service and the public.
To apply you must be 18 years older, a European citizen and able to pass the force fitness test. You should also be able to offer 16 hours a month to carry out duties. You will get full training to become part of a team that deals with a variety of incidents and events across Suffolk.
Karen Harris, Specials, Volunteers and Cadets Manager said: “All of our special officers are highly trained and play an essential role in preventing, reducing and tackling crime and keeping Suffolk safe. We are seeking applicants from all communities in our county with differing skills and experience, so if you have 16 hours a month or more to offer us, anytime of the day or night, and are interested in finding out more please come along to one of our events.”
Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Tim Passmore said: “I am a great supporter of the fantastic work that our specials carry out across the county every day and I’d like to encourage anyone who is interested to come along to one of the information events and find out more.
“Specials are an integral part of the policing family. They are extremely valued and valuable, and play an essential role in preventing, reducing and tackling crime to help keep Suffolk safe.
“These volunteer police officers are not called specials for nothing. We are absolutely indebted to them all, their commitment and enthusiasm is second to none. They give their time for nothing and add a completely different dimension to policing in the county.”
A number of Special Constabulary recruitment information events are being held in community hubs across the county. Details are as follows:-
Saturday 24 November – 10am-1pm –The Pavilion, Recreation Way, Mildenhall.
Saturday 1 December – 10am-1pm – Town Hall, Broad Street, Eye.
Monday 3 December – 6.30pm – Suffolk Constabulary Headquarters, Martlesham Heath.
Saturday 26 January, 2019 – 10am-1pm – Rifle Hall, London Road, Halesworth.
Saturday 23 February, 2019 – 10am-1pm – Southgate Community Centre, Caie Walk, Bury St Edmunds.
Saturday 16 March, 2019 – 10am – 1pm – King Georges Community Centre, King Georges Avenue, Leiston.
Attendees will be able to follow the applicant journey from start to finish, including how to complete an application form, what happens at assessment centres, details of the training programme, what personal safety training officers receive and speak to special officers to find out exactly what it’s like to be a special with Suffolk Constabulary.
If you intend to go along to one of the events, please confirm your attendance by emailing specialsandvolunteers@suffolk.pnn.police.uk.
If you cannot attend but would like more information, please go to our website http://www.suffolk.police.uk/join-us/volunteers/special-constabulary
Communities Urged To Secure Their Homes & Vehicles This Autumn
Members of the public are being urged to increase their vigilance around home and vehicle security this autumn.
This reminder comes following a number of break-ins reported in the west and south of the county over the last month.
Dark evenings can provide the perfect cover for burglars but by carrying out a few simple crime prevention steps, householders and motorists can thwart opportunist criminals.
The force recently launched a new crime prevention initiative, known as 1st Principle, which highlights that simple, inexpensive measures can easily be undertaken by anyone in the community.
As part of the initiative, an online suite of bespoke, easy to follow crime prevention documents are available to view and download on the constabulary’s website for free. Visit: https://www.suffolk.police.uk/advice/crime-prevention-z
Anyone with information about thieves operating in their area should contact Suffolk police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
LOCK
- Lock all doors and remove the keys before leaving the house.
• Keep front doors locked even when you are at home and especially if you are in the back garden.
• Close all windows fully before you leave the house, lock downstairs windows and remove the keys.
• Use window limiters to allow air in instead of keeping windows fully open, even when you’re at home.
• Install window locks on upstairs windows that can be easily accessed by a flat roof.
• Lock back gates using a sturdy lock such as a closed shackle padlock to no less than CEN 3-4 security grade or 5 lever lock.
LIGHT
- Make your home look lived in – use timer switches if you’re not home.
• ‘Dusk-to-dawn’ sensored security lighting is a cheap, low cost way of making sure the front of your home or shed/outbuilding is well-lit.
• Visible burglar alarms can make burglars think twice; get specialist advice and consult your insurance company.
•You could also consider installing a doorbell camera in order to potentially film an opportunist burglar in action.
• Hedging and shrubs to the front of your property should be pruned to no higher than 1m and trim trees up from the ground to 2m. This will allow a clear line of sight across your property and will stop the garden being used as a hiding place.
HIDE
- Keep your valuables, jewellery, cash, passport and deeds to your property in a safe.
• Never leave spare keys in an open place. Be aware, burglars know all the usual hiding places so never leave a spare key under the doormat or under a garden gnome.
• Keep dustbins and wheelie-bins away from fencing/gates as these can be used by thieves to climb into windows or used to escape.
• Make sure valuables are property marked. Take photographs and keep a note of any serial numbers.
• Don’t leave equipment and tools lying around that can be used by burglars to break into your home, such as hammers, shovels or gardening tools. Keep ladders locked away and out of sight.
Help us keep our communities safe.
Police advice on a variety of subjects can be accessed via https://www.suffolk.police.uk/advice
To report something, or to otherwise contact Police, use the link http://www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us
To report something anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Alternatively call 101 for non-urgent matters.
Always call 999 in emergencies, or if an immediate police response is required.
Police Connect Team
Grove of Oaks for Fressingfield’s Fallen from WW1
Friday Nov 2nd 3.00pm will see the planting of a grove of Oak trees to commemorate the 27 young men from Fressingfield who died in WW1. The Parish Council are planting the grove of trees in the Parish cemetery to mark the centenary of the end of the Great War, each tree to commemorate a fallen soldier from the Parish.
Each tree planted will be equivalent in height to the soldiers as they died and they will form a ‘platoon’ of trees to create a grove of trees, much as found in the fields of Flanders before the war started. This follows the successful publication of ‘Sons, Husbands and Fathers’ produced by Fressingfield History Group in memory of all those from the village who fought in WW1.
‘These trees are being planted to commemorate the lives that were lost over a century ago and will be a lasting natural tribute to their sacrifice for our nation and our village. The young oaks will become the strong trees that those young men might have become. As the village acknowledges the remembrance of those lost at armistice events, we hope these trees will work with nature to leave a lasting feature of village history.’ Commented Garry Deeks, Chairman, Fressingfield Parish Council
The celebration will involve the raising of the Suffolk Regiment flag, in that a majority of the fallen soldiers were part of that regiment. A roll call will held with all the Fressingfield names being read out. Villagers are invited to join the Council and friends to the event on Stradbroke Road, Fressingfield Nov 2nd 2018
Garry Deeks
Chairman, Fressingfield Parish Council
Annual Electoral Register Canvass 2018
Solar Panels:
Solar Together is a group-buying scheme, which gives you the opportunity to buy high quality solar panels at a highly competitive price.
Suffolk County Council has teamed up with iChoosr to organise this innovative scheme for homeowners as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to help deliver the vision of a zero-carbon county.
For more information, check out Solar Together Suffolk
