Cricket projects to include young women (second version)

by Yixiang Zeng

Young women in Harrow are to be encouraged to join cricket schemes to tackle anti-social behaviour and reduce crime.

Chief Inspector Nick Davies gave the Harrow Police and Community Consultative Group (HPCCG) a presentation on Monday night on how the sport is being used to bring different religious groups together.

The meeting at the Civic Centre also included updates on issues including police performance and ‘stop and search’ powers.

Speaking about the police’s coaching projects, Chief Inspector Davies said: “We want to involve different groups in the cricket scheme and it is hard to reach young people.

“Crimes target young people, so by involving them into the scheme, it can improve their self-esteem.”

The Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Dal Babu, also updated the HPCCG meeting on how his force was performing.

He said motor vehicle crime and the theft of motor vehicles had declined by 18 per cent compared the same period last year, which meets their target.

Other offences, such as residential burglary and robbery, had also steadily declined but were not currently meeting targets that had been set.

Mr Babu also said he wanted to make sure people were offered more support when involved in crimes. He also stressed the need for police and local authorities to work more efficiently when handling offenders.

He said: “What we need to be looking at is how we support victims, and make sure they get support while they go to prosecution.

“We also make sure the information on offenders is shared.”

Mr Babu also answered questions about cuts in police funding, but said he would have to wait for full details to be released by the Government to see what effect the changes would have on Harrow,

Concerns were raised about the police’s use of ‘stop and search’ powers, with one Queensbury councilor calling for better education on which extremist or radical groups had been banned.

Councillor Zarina Khalid said residents were sometimes handed leaflets from groups without knowing who they were.

She said they faced long delays when stopped by officers, but without knowing the material they had been given would get them into trouble.

Harrow Police and Community Consultative Group story (first version)

by Yixiang Zeng

Young women will be encouraged to take part in the borough's cricket scheme to tackle anti-social behaviour and reduce crime.

The event, held by Harrow Police and Community Consultative Group (HPCCG), discussed a string of issues such as Independent Custody Visitors, police performance on handling crimes, and “stop and search”.

Chief Inspector Nick Davies gave a talk about the force's cricket coaching, he said: “We want to involve different groups in cricket scheme, and it is hard to reach young people.

“Young men and young women, not only men, but also to involve young women in the cricket sport and most of them are very engaging.”

In relation to borough's crime issue, Mr Davies added: “Crimes target young people, so involving them into the scheme, it can improve their self-esteem.”

The meeting also kept the public informed of recent police performance on handling crimes, Borough Commander Chief Superintendent Dal Babu said: “What we need to be looking at is how we support victims, and make sure support while they go to prosecution.”

Regarding offenders, he said: “We also make sure the information of offenders [are shared].”

According to Mr Babu at yesterday evening's meeting at Harrow Civic Centre, Motor Vehicle Crime, theft of motor vehicle, has declined rapidly by 18 per cent compared the same period last year, which meets the target.

Other offences such as residential burglary and robbery have steadily declined but do not meet the targets.

When discussing “stop and search”, Councillor Zarina Khalid from Queensbury ward raised a concern by saying “people should be educated of which group's information being banned”.

She explained that sometimes people do not know the information they received is banned by the police, such as views on extremism.

If police find these materials during “stop and search”, it will be a big disturbance for their daily routine.