Smethwick police focus on Bearwood

The Smethwick neighbourhood policing team have been focusing their attention on Bearwood.
On Monday 10 July, they started a week of increased activity in the area.
Sandwell Council and Cranstoun also took part offering members of the street community help to end drug and alcohol addiction, support with their mental health and emergency accommodation.
Some people were reminded about their behaviour and the rules about begging and drinking on the street.
Untaxed cars were towed away, an illegal off-road motorbike was seized, a missing person was found, wanted people arrested, fines were handed out to people who parked their cars illegally, speeding drivers were stopped and much more.
We started a retail radio scheme so shops can share information about crime, antisocial behaviour and suspicious activity with other stores to help them better protect their businesses. We handed shopkeepers their radios and explained how to use them.
The council’s CCTV operators also have the radios meaning the people monitoring the network of new cameras on Bearwood Road can zoom in on troublemakers and share information with our police control room.
We asked shops to register as Safe Places, somewhere people who are anxious, scared or at risk while out can go and get help.
Police community support officers spoke to people using the Bearwood Community Hub to explain what we’re doing and to listen to their concerns.
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