Kirkby resident wins free CCTV to improve security

The prizes, handed out by Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry, were a reward following a survey carried out following the Safer Streets programme to improve public safety.

The initiative saw a range of public safety measures including CCTV, burglary prevention equipment and better street lighting across Sutton, Newark, Nottingham City, Mansfield, and Worksop.

Tarina Smith, 20, of Kirkby, was one of the winners and she has now received her free CCTV.

Tarina said: “Having the CCTV will make my family feel a lot safer and not only help me but will benefit my neighbours too. There are many houses on this street who will feel safer from having a camera on display.

Coun Helen-Ann Smith, lead executive Member for Community Safety and Crime Reduction at Ashfield District Council, said: “It is important that residents feel safe within the communities they live.

"The Safer Streets initiative is already showing how this funding will change Ashfield for the better with reports of anti-social behaviour down compared to this time last year.

"The council, who set up the Ashfield Community Safety partnership, is committed to continuing to make Ashfield a safe place to live, work and visit.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry visited Tarina to present her with the camera and thank her for taking part in the survey.

She said: “Safer Streets has made a tangible difference to how safe people feel in Nottinghamshire.

“As Tarina said, cameras like the ones she received and the other measures such as better street lighting and target hardening all add up to create safer environments that people feel more comfortable in.

“The Nottinghamshire Office of the Police and Crime worked incredibly hard on these bids and we have been able to bring £1.5m of national funding to Nottinghamshire for these important projects. We have also submitted further bids so I hope we can have some more good news for more Nottinghamshire communities in the near future.

“For each of the Safer Streets projects, we have worked really closely with our partner agencies in these areas including local authorities and listened to the views of the communities themselves to ensure we invest the money in the right way and in the right areas to have a big impact. The surveys show categorically that these measures have made a difference.

“I’d like to thank Tarina and everyone who took part in the surveys for giving their views. I am here to represent the people of Nottinghamshire so it is vital to have that public engagement to ensure people can have a direct impact on how we deliver policing and crime prevention services across Nottinghamshire.”

Public surveys were conducted in March 2022 by the Nottinghamshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in each of the areas which benefited by the Safer Streets fund.

The Ashfield survey revealed nine out of ten women felt safe during the day and nearly three quarters felt safer as a result of the extra safety measures funded by Safer Streets in the district.