Victoria Centre security guards could become ‘eyes and ears’ of police as part of knife crime crackdown
Nottingham England Feb 24 2018 Security staff at the Victoria Centre could become extra ‘eyes and ears’ for the police as part of plans to clamp down on young groups bringing knives into the city centre.
The move comes after a number of violent incidents involving knives in the city centre in recent months, and fears that gangs of youths are using the shopping centre to meet.
Earlier this month, 19-year-old Giovanni Campbell was jailed for six months for carrying a machete down his trousers after a fight broke out in the car park at the shopping centre.
Security officers came across the assault on February 7, where a group of youths appeared to be directing violence towards other youths, a court was told.
The force also wants to work with other businesses following increased reports of young people ‘congregating’ in the city centre, some of whom are carrying out attacks with knives.
Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping said in the coming weeks a meeting has been set up to discuss working with retail security staff at intu Victoria Centre.
The aim is to share information and intelligence, and Mr Tipping said he hopes police can work closely with all businesses in the city centre.
He told the Post: “We are trying to get a project off the ground in Nottingham to look at the private sector retailers working closely with the police.
“It is clear to me that all the big stores have their own security staff, many belong to different companies.
“Getting them to work effectively together with the police seems to make sense.
“The Victoria Centre is a good shopping centre but there are groups of youngsters that congregate there and we have to keep an eye on it. It is not out of control.”
Chief inspector Mark Stanley, who manages policing in the city centre, said businesses offer ‘lots of eyes and ears.’
Nigel Wheatley, general manager for intu in Nottingham, said: “The safety of our customers is our absolute priority and our highly-trained staff have close working relationships and partnerships with the local police and other security agencies, to ensure that our centres are a safe place to be for everyone that visits them.”
Nottingham city centre is being ‘ruined’ by youths who are using the area to congregate and causing trouble – often carrying knives.
Police patrols have been stepped up since two teenagers were stabbed outside Burger King in the city centre, while a 19-year-old man was locked up after being found with a machete near the Victoria Centre.
Chief Inspector Mark Stanley, who manages policing in the city centre, said plain-clothed police officers were working alongside uniformed cops to target those carrying blades.
He said ‘overt and covert’ operations had been stepped up after two teenagers, 17 and 19, were stabbed outside Burger King next to the intu Victoria Centre on January 21.
He told the Post: “In the last six months we have seen a number of incidents where young people have been congregating in the city – they range from 14 to early 20s who have been involved in a number of violent incidents that involved knives.
“We have been running overt and covert operations around that – from 3pm to midnight we are putting uniformed and plain clothed officers into the city to target those who are causing us problems. We know who they are and they are ruining the city for the majority.
“If they come into the city and carry knives we will stop and search them and make their lives difficult. We know who they are hanging out with and the times they are coming in.
“We have definitely had young people in the city centre with knives but it is a minority. We will use everything we possibly can to stop them and prosecute them.
“We know the effect it is having on the public and that is why it is a priority for us.
He said areas such as Upper and Lower Parliament Street were fiercely patrolled due to the transport links, food outlets and the shops where young people like to gather.
He added: “We are working with businesses in the city because it is a concern for them. They have seen increases in anti-social behaviour and young people congregating, arguments, and fights in the street or in their businesses.”
