Tuesday 4th February 2025
My most recent Community took place in Leicester City, where I focussed my activity in the Eastern part of the City. My morning started with a meeting with members of the Gurdwara Sahib, where I was informed of issues members were experiencing including anti-social behaviour, boundary disputes and vandalism against their homes. I will support these members as best I can and pass on the information to the local neighbourhood policing team. The Gurdwara Sahib is a truly magnificent building, and it is good to see it doing so well since it opened back in 2023.
Next, I met with Rebecca Panting, Project Manager for the Saffires Project, who received £10,000 from the Commissioner’s Safety Fund to fund the salary of a part time Street Outreach Manager to provide coordinated outreach sessions in locations in Leicester where street sex work takes place. The Project is aiming to build relationships and reduce the vulnerability of women to crime and violence and facilitating them to exit sex work. I was impressed with the work that has been undertaken so far, and I look forward to meeting the team again later in the year to see what progress has been made.
I then met with Inspector Ryan Ludlam, who updated me on the great work the local team have been doing to tackle illegal e-scooters and e-bikes in the City Centre. The team have been working hard to support local business and tackle shoplifting in the area. The team have visited over 150 shops in the area over the last year, offering crime prevention advice and support to local retailers. It is good to see such active local policing in the heart of our City.
St Matthews Big Local was the next stop, where I briefly met with the Deputy Manager. St Matthews Big Local successfully bid for just under £10,000 from the Commissioners Safety Fund to provide organised and structured sports activities in the daytime during school holidays, as well as late night floodlit football on Friday nights for 20 weeks during the winter months. Diversionary activities like these are so important in preventing crime and anti-social behaviour. I look forward to receiving an update later in the year as to how many young people have been able to participate. I was also fortunate enough to run into the new Vicar for the City Centre, Reverand Vijay Kumar. I will be meeting with Reverand Kumar later in the year to discuss the crime and community safety concerns of his parishioners.
My final visits of the day were in the Belgrave area of the City, where I met with Councillor Shital Adatia to discuss business crime concerns in the area. Together we visited Vishal Jogia and Laxmi Jewellers. Both shops shared concerns around perceived crime spikes early in the year and were worried that, due to the increase in the price of gold, their businesses would be targeted. Police visibility was also raised and I will pass on their views to the local policing team. Thank you to Councillor Adatia for joining me and listening to the views and concerns of local businesses.
Rupert Matthews
Police & Crime Commissioner for Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland
Posted on Tuesday 18th February 2025