North Yorkshire Police tweet reported incidents (From Gazette & Herald)

North Yorkshire Police tweet reported incidents

7:30am Saturday 23rd March 2013 in News By Kate Liptrot, kate.liptrot@thepress.co.uk

Janice Bryan tweeting from the control room at Fulford Police Station

Updated: YORK’S police radio makes as interesting listening as the incidents being tweeted by North Yorkshire Police’s control room.

The radio details an ongoing search for a Ferrari spotted driving at speed in Foxwood, a response to a dropped 999 call by a child which turns out to be accidental, and the assistance provided to a vulnerable elderly man all highlight the varied work carried out by officers in the city.

For PC Anna Daniels, of the Safer Neighbourhood Team for York East, the day is nothing out of the ordinary as she patrols Tang Hall, the university at Heslington and around Fulford looking for signs of crime – particularly antisocial behaviour, car theft or burglary.

There is an ongoing issue in the area with students being targeted by burglars and of antisocial behaviour varying from youths congregating outside shops in Tang Hall to more serious incidents of people being targeted in their homes.

PC Daniels’ team has spent the morning following up on events which happened overnight, including two road accidents in Wheldrake, criminal damage and antisocial behaviour in Tang Hall and two violent incidents in Swinegate.

She said the patrols carried out by officers during down time between jobs deter people from committing crime: “If they are routinely seeing a marked vehicle or police on bikes it is hopefully going to prevent a crime taking place.”

She said the Twitter project gave an insight into the work of police: “I think it’s really positive as it gives the general public an idea of what we deal with on a daily basis.”

Force in 24-hour global event

EVERYTHING from a Ferrari driving erratically around York to a stray dog causing havoc in traffic has been detailed as North Yorkshire Police took to Twitter to show the type of incidents it deals with daily.

As part of a global Twitter event involving forces from around the world police tweeted the majority of incidents dealt with during 24 hours, starting yesterday morning.

Starting from 8am, the tweets included details of a variety of incidents – from reports of an escaped snake, to criminal damage to a car in Upper Poppleton to a man being arrested on child sex charges to a distressed woman threatening self-harm.

Paul Richardson, a deployment manager in the force control room, said: “We have used Twitter for a number of years now, and have several officers and teams who use it across the force in addition to our official force account.

“However, we have never taken part in a 24-hour event such as this, which we have been very excited about.”

Police tweets

Here is a snapshot of some of the tweets.

About 10am

• Criminal damage to car in Westfield Lane, Upper Poppleton tyres let down and valves damaged

• Stray dog causing problems with traffic in Bondgate, Selby. Have you lost a large white dog?

• Call about harassment by text messages.

• Call from ambulance – officers enroute to collision on A19, near Riccall.

• Missing person report received at 9.54am, officers make contact with her via phone – all okay, but officers need to see her to make sure.

About 11am

• Report of an escaped snake in a house in Catterick. RSPCA on their way.

About noon

• Suspected cannabis handed in at Thirsk Police station

• NYP York West said: We’ve conducted a number of address checks, negative so far! Now we’re off to find a Ferrari driving erratically! #poltwt About 1pm

• Officers enroute to distressed woman threatening self-harm

• Officers called to heated argument between parents at a nursery.

• Report of lamb that has escaped from field

• Police requested to attend a school in the Selby area to assist with distressed parent.

About 2pm

• We have got the Ferrari stopped. Stern words of advice given

• Vehicle stopped on A64, no insurance, vehicle seized. Driver and passenger now waiting at bus stop to continue their journey

• Man arrested and in custody on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.

About 3pm

• Reports of street drinking in Walmgate, York, several cans of lager seized

• Report of threats linked to an ongoing dispute in the south of the county.

• Woman arrested for being drunk and disorderly in York

• Man arrested and in custody on suspicion of sending sexually explicit text messages.

About 4pm

• 17-year-old youth arrested for breaching his bail conditions

• Report of children throwing stones at night at the home of elderly woman, police attending. This is completely unacceptable.

About 5pm

• Call for advice after former owners of repossessed house moved back into the property and now squatting

• Contacted trading standards colleagues after elderly man issued with inflated bill for roof work – possible rogue traders

• Report of damage to a vehicle after motorist challenged a woman about using her mobile while driving

• Call from NHS colleagues after package delivered to patient with suspect contents – possibly drugs.