Ian Clarke A police scheme to tackle anti-social behaviour on a Dereham car park has received national recognition. Dereham Safer Neighbourhood Team's efforts to tackle problems at the Cherry Tree car park was among a handful of projects nationwide nominated for a Tilley Award.

Ian Clarke

A police scheme to tackle anti-social behaviour on a Dereham car park has received national recognition.

Dereham Safer Neighbourhood Team's efforts to tackle problems at the Cherry Tree car park was among a handful of projects nationwide nominated for a Tilley Award.

The awards, funded by the Home Office, were set up in 1999 to encourage and recognise excellence in crime reduction using problem-solving principles.

The local police team worked with Breckland Council to help solve the problem at the Dereham car park after receiving complaints from members of the public.

Dereham SNT PC Dave Howell said: “The example of the Cherry Tree car park shows how successful the work of the SNT can be starting from community engagement, leading to the priority-setting meetings and then joint problem solving with our partners. This project highlights how effective working with Breckland Council and our partnership agencies can be, especially making a difference to local people's lives.

“This project has now been placed on the Home Office crime reduction database as effective practice.”

PC Dave Howell attended the Tilley Award ceremony and conference in Hinckley, where he was also asked to run a workshop on the Dereham project for other crime reduction workers.

The team missed out on the award to Reducing Criminal Damage in Bolton, which examined criminal damage by the Be Safe Bolton Strategic Partnership.

To find out more about the Cherry Tree car park project contact Dereham SNT on 0845 456 4567 or email sntdereham@norfolk.pnn.police.uk.