Some of the residents in the Foxwood area of York were joined by York police officers this afternoon (Thursday) to carry out a spring clean of the area and discuss the issue with youths causing trouble.
They met outside the Co-op and picked up the equipment provided by the city council before heading off to clean up the streets.
However what many residents want is for the police to clear up the trouble that is making lives hell. Teenagers have been a problem since lockdown, according to Shirley Gumley of the Foxwood Residents Association.
“There are that many people phoning in about trouble, and they are harassing people in their own homes now. That’s not right.
“It is really upsetting because we’re proud about where we live but a lot of people are really getting unnerved by it all now.
“I just don’t know what the police are going to do. Or the council too because I think councillors should be more involved.
She said it was hard to understand the reasons why they would want to damage gardens, spray graffiti and break windows in their own community.
Keeping people safe
The early spring clean brought together North Yorkshire Police, City of York Council and Foxwood Residents’ Association, as well as local businesses and school children.
Superintendent Mark Khan, North Yorkshire Police Commander for York and Selby said: “Today is about the police working with the community and partners to help keep people safe.
“The idea of the litter pick came after we did a survey with people in Foxwood and yes antisocial behaviour is always a problem, especially outside the shops here. But also the community said that litter is an issue too.
“So we wanted to take this initiative which is also an opportunity for us to network and engage with residents.”
So will he be able to reassure the public that when there is trouble, the police will arrive and sort it out?
“We are working with the community and the local authority to develop a problem solving plan, and different ways of engaging with the kids who hang around the shops.
“So you know, youth groups, things like that, to divert them to other activities,
“Where we can’t do that and when we have to use the criminal law, we’ll do that as well.
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“We’re trying to engage with parents, and we’re asking parents, do you know where your child is, especially on an evening.”
YorkMix asked him if we would see more police officers on the streets In the future?
“I think what I have to say there is that this is about targeting police activity. So it’s targeted activity around a particular issue or problem, and make sure that officers are here at the times that it’s most appropriate.
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“Clearly, we have other priorities, you know, we have other core services that we’ve got to deal with. So what I’m trying to do, by working with the community and the local authority, is to make sure that it’s not just a police response issue, because that alone won’t work.
“We need a whole community and partnership approach.”
Cllr Denise Craghill, executive member for housing and community safety at City of York Council, said: “Teams from the council have been working to address these issues with colleagues at North Yorkshire Police.
“This litter pick is a great opportunity for Foxwood residents to come together and show some extra love for their area.
“It will help further build community resilience, set a standard of cleanliness to be maintained and send a message to those involved in causing nuisance that we take action and we stand together.”