Archive for December, 2008
Violence in schools
The police were called to violent incidents in schools in England more than 7,000 times last year, according to figures from the Conservatives.
Police forces were asked how often they were called to “school premises for an attempted or actual violent crime”.
The survey was based on responses from 25 of the 39 police forces in England.
Head teachers’ leader John Dunford said the survey was “scaremongering” and added that schools were often havens of safety in troubled communities.
‘Worrying’
But Shadow Children’s Secretary Michael Gove said the figures on police calls showed that schools did not have enough power to “nip discipline problems in the bud”.
“The number of violent incidents in schools that lead to police being called is very worrying,” said Mr Gove.
Michael Gove ‘The violence and behaviour problem is running out of control’
The figures published by the Conservatives were obtained under Freedom of Information requests - with an overall total of 7,311.
There are wide variations between different parts of the country. Police in Warwickshire recorded 73 call outs over violent incidents in school, Merseyside 141, Kent 425 and the Metropolitan Police area 2,698.
How the figures were gathered varies between forces. For example, the figure for the Metropolitian Police applies to “educational establishments” rather than only schools, and the figure for Kent includes incidents in the “vicinity of schools”.
Thames Valley had the second highest figure with 697 call outs, but said that differences in how the figures were compiled meant that comparisons were not valid.
“There are 175 state secondary schools in Thames Valley, attended by 161,000 pupils. The statistics represent an average of four violent crimes per school per year,” said a spokesman.
 |
SCHOOL CRIME DATA
Most computers will open PDF documents automatically, but you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader
|
What the figures do not show is whether this is a small number of schools repeatedly calling the police to tackle incidents or a more widespread changing pattern in which the police are being called occasionally to large numbers of schools.
Nor is there any breakdown of whether the incidents involved pupils or parents, or ex-pupils returning to cause trouble.
But this provides a snapshot suggesting that police are being called to schools hundreds of times each week and that they are carrying out interventions that were once the responsibility of teachers.
Dr Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said schools were more likely to call the police than in the past.
He said this reflected a closer working relationship between schools and the police which means that schools are more likely to use police assistance.
“Parents and pupils should not be scared by these stories - they should be reassured that, when violence does occur in school, it is dealt with quickly and firmly,” said Dr Dunford.
He added: “Many of these incidents involve young people who are not pupils at the school trespassing on school premises and causing trouble. School sites are often very open places.”
|
 We want schools to work closely with the police as part of the Safer School Partnerships and to take a hard line when dealing with poor behavioure  DCSF spokesman
|
And Chris Keates, head of the Nasuwt teachers’ union, said the figures could be a sign that teachers were more willing to report such violent incidents to the police.
But she urged caution with the statistics, as they do not show differences in how local police forces respond to such school incidents or whether the figures relate to pupil misbehaviour or to other problems such as intruders.
She also rejected the Conservatives’ conclusion that schools lack sufficient powers to tackle misbehaviour.
“In recent years schools have had increasing powers devolved to them to tackle pupil indiscipline. The real issue of concern is that still too many fail to use them.”
Martin Johnson of the ATL teachers’ union said the figures on police being called to schools reflected the worries of classroom violence.
“In February, 29% of teachers told us they have faced physical aggression from a pupil, and over 90% said pupils have been excluded from their school for behavioural problems.”
Mr Johnson also said that more than two-thirds of teachers said “pupil behaviour was worse than two years ago”.
As well as the police being called by schools for assistance, there are 450 schools in England which have dedicated police officers, either based in the school or shared between a group of schools.
A spokeswoman for the Association of Chief Police Officers said the “police service works closely with schools in the prevention of crime and anti-social behaviour”.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families also asserted the value of schools and police working together.
“We want schools to work closely with the police as part of the Safer School Partnerships and to take a hard line when dealing with poor behaviour,” said a spokeswoman.
BBC News Page last updated at 10:15 GMT, Tuesday, 23 December 2008
Latest Advert YQ Northwest
Please take a look at this month’s issue of YQ Northwest magazine to see our advertisement:
Follow the link http://www.northernlifestyle.com/archive/yq.asp
Top ten security guidelines for businesses
The following is a summary of our ten protective security tips for businesses:
- Asses the risks to your business
- Consider security first when planning building works
- Establish a secure culture throughout your business
- Keep premises clear and tidy adopting a clear desk policy
- Control access points and use staff and visitor passes
- Install physical measures e.g. locks, alarms, CCTV security lighting etc
- Establish good mail handling procedures
- Recruit carefully, checking identities and references
- Take all possible IT security precautions including password protecting all desk and mobile PC’s
- Test your business continuity plans regularly
Stand Solutions Worldwide Limited offer a complete range of corporate security services, working on a stand-alone basis or in conjunction with the client company we can provide consultation and support regarding many corporate security issues.
As a company we have gained a valuable insight into the corporate world through years of hands-on experience and reputation is the cornerstone of our business. Please do not hesitate to contact us for a free, no-obligation assessment of your current security services or to discuss your corporate security needs.
Businessman Maurice Nixon tortured by armed raiders..
A wealthy property developer who runs parts of Portobello and Old Spitalfields markets in London was tied up for 12 hours by a gang who pierced holes in his legs.
Maurice Nixon, 53, was attacked by burglars wearing ski masks as he returned to his country home in Worcestershire. The businessman was forced inside his home at gunpoint and then had his hands, feet and body bound with plastic cable ties before he was tied to a bannister.
One member of the gang pushed a screwdriver into his legs repeatedly, leaving six wounds up to six inches deep. He also had his upper teeth knocked out with a crowbar.
The gang left his house in Mustow Green, near Harvington, early on Sunday evening with an unknown amount of cash and jewellery.
Mr Nixon, who lives alone, was found 15 hours later by a business associate who had arrived for a meeting. He was taken to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, where he was being treated last night for the leg wounds, facial injuries and circulatory problems.
Kim Nixon, 48, his sister, said: “That is torture; it is despicable. Doctors are worried about his kidneys and the toxins from the holes in his legs.
“We are all extremely upset and very shocked that this could happen and the whole family is devastated. He is a very generous and well-liked member of the community.
“It was a very violent and serious attack. We are absolutely devastated. To be tied up for that long, you think you are going to die.
“He is a very well-known man in the community and very generous. We are very lucky he is alive. The paramedics were amazed he had not had a heart attack.”
The businessman is believed to run a number of markets around the country and is the director of 151 companies, most of which are dormant.
He has also held 142 directorships of companies that are now dissolved and directorships of two companies now in liquidation. He has resigned 27 other directorships.
One of his companies, Urbanism, has run parts of Old Spitalfields and Portobello markets for the past ten years. A spokesman for Westway Development Trust, which owns the Portobello market site in West London, said: “Maurice is very well liked by all the stallholders. They will be very upset by this news. His company, Urbanism, is responsible for the day to day running of the market. He rents the stall pitches and closely vets what’s being sold there.”
Detective Sergeant Duncan Lloyd, of Kidderminster CID, said: “This was a very unusual incident and we are still trying to establish exactly what happened. The victim is understandably very distressed and is still being treated in hospital for his injuries.”
Mr Nixon’s family is offering a substantial reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the robbers.
From The Times, 13/11/2008
Businessman Maurice Nixon tortured by armed raiders during 12-hour ordeal in his own home…
Whether you are a high net worth individual, VIP, sporting star or feel threatened, we offer a close protection solution to meet your requirements: from working unseen in the background to a fully-managed mobile and residential team covering national or international environments.
For further information on Stand Security Solutions complete range of services please visit our website.
Stand Security Solutions Worldwide will conduct a full security risk assesment, please call us on 0845 130 4699 today for a free, no-obligation consultation
Metal Theft, can Stand Security Solutions help you?
An epidemic of metal theft is forcing owners to consider demolishing ravaged buildings within the Greater Manchester area, say property agents.
They say that police appear to be powerless to stop thefts and are urging that the issue be made a higher priority.
A Manchester-based industrial agent said that the criminals were becoming more sophisticated and that the level of activity had “gone up a notch”
Simon Hampson, a partner at WHR Property Consultants, cited the example of an unamed client whose disused 280,000 sq ft multi-storey mill in Trafford was stripped of £20,000 worth of copper by thieves who caused damage which cost £100,000 to repair.
Hampson added “We’re seeing a huge increase in thefts from industrial units, fuelled by the increase in prices people can command for copper and steel”
“It’s reaching epedemic proportions - Salford and Trafford Park are real hotspots. Some landlords can’t afford to keep constantly repairing or insure vacant buildings. The police seem powerless to stop it, or just under-resourced, but thefts of that value are surely worth trying to stop. The theives seem to be getting very well-organised now - it has definately gone up a notch”
Paul Nolan, a director at Bury-based industrial agent Nolan Redshaw, said the situation had become “lawless” and owners had started to dread leaving buildings empty.
“You could command £300 per tonne for scrap earlier this year, so theives saw that they could make a fortune,” he said. “It’s hastened a lot of buildings on the road to demolition.”
“People in the industry are making a concerted effort, but because it is not a life-threatening crime, it seems to be low-priority with the police. You never really hear of it, even when someone is caught.”
Nolan said that the 50,000 sq ft Lascar Works on Tanpit Road in Bury has been cleaned out by theives. “They took weaving machinery, cabling and even aluminium strips from the roof lighting bars,” he said “It looked like a Christmas turkey by the time they had finished with it.”
Stotts Mill, a disused 300,000 sq ft building on Bridgeford Road in Rochdale, was “systematically broken into” according to Nolan, by thieves who were happy to “take serious risks” to steal valuable parts of the building, including power supply cables. Similar items were also taken from Edenwood Mill in Ramsbottom, where theives dug up parts of the adjoining roads.
“Some companies just won’t insure you after a few thefts,” he said. “It’s a mess.”
Even some of Greater Manchester’s religious buildings are taking a hit, according to new figures from Ecclesiastical, which insures over 95% of the UK’s Anglican churches.
Ecclesiastical received five claims for metal theft from churches in Manchester during 2005. That figure rose to 126 in 2007 and 122 claims totalling £9m were made in the first nine months of 2008. The cost of repairing the damage has escalated from £5,000 in 2005 to £385,000 so far in 2008.
Ecclesiastical spokesman David Bonehill said “The cumulative financial impact of metal theft in Manchester is significant but little is being done to combat the problem. We’ve been lobbying MPs and the police to move the issue further up the agenda.”
Greater Manchester police declined to comment, although a section of its website advises property owners to beware metal thefts. “A surge in global demand for materials like lead and copper has made metal theft a lucrative business for criminals,” It says.
Information reproduced from an article “Crime blitz as metal thieves raid buildings” by Simon Binns who can be contacted via email sbinns@crain.com or for more information visit…
http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk
How can we help?
Stand Security Solutions Worldwide have a range of solutions to address the increasing problem of metal thefts, contact us via our website for more information and advice.
