Safer 6 promotes community safety

Sandwell’s annual six-week Safer 6 campaign is now well under way with activities promoting community safety, crime prevention and healthy living. The Safer Sandwell Partnership campaign started on 31 October and runs until 11 December. Find out more on our Safer 6 webpage. Big thanks to junior PCSOs from St Philip's Catholic Primary School who joined us for the launch and  information roadshow outside Asda Cape Hill.

Lots of partner organisations are involved. Each week has a focus on a specific town and there will be a number of themes running throughout the campaign. Following focus weeks in Smethwick and Tipton, we're now onto Oldbury this week, with Wednesbury, West Bromwich and Rowley Regis to come.

Follow campaign updates using the #Safer6 and #SaferSandwell hashtags on Twitter.

Safer 6 themes for 2022

• Hate crime
• Anti-social behaviour and crime
• County lines
• Nuisance bikes
• Trading standards issues
• Exploitation
• Domestic abuse and violence against women and girls (VAWG)
• Prevention of under-25s violence
• Substance misuse
• Modern slavery
• Extremism

Arrests made and drugs seized during County Lines Intensification Week

In a week-long campaign aimed at tackling county lines networks in October, Sandwell Police made 12 arrests and took drugs off streets across the borough.

£152,000 worth of cannabis, £300 worth of heroin and £17,000 worth of crack were seized by police during raids on a number of properties. Weapons including a loaded sawn-off shotgun with ammunition rounds were also recovered.

More than 20 children and adults who were identified as being vulnerable to exploitation were safeguarded by officers. Alongside this work, officers went into schools and engaged with 390 children to discuss the harms of county line networks and drugs.

Creating Safe Communities event More than 40 representatives from voluntary sector organisations in Sandwell attended the Creating Safe Communities event hosted by Sandwell Council's Community Safety Team and SCVO. Held at the YMCA in Carters Green, West Bromwich, the event helped to promote the new Sandwell Community Safety Strategy, raise awareness of support available and discuss what makes a safe community. There were some great discussions and ideas on how everyone can work together.

Sandwell Council wins government funding to make Smethwick streets safer

Sandwell Council has been awarded more than £200,000 from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund to target neighbourhood crime, violence against women and girls, and anti-social behaviour in Smethwick.

Neighbourhood crime can be upsetting and extremely intrusive to victims. Women are disproportionately more likely to experience certain crime types - for example, they are around four times more likely than men to experience a sexual assault.

The £227,000 will be used to help make Smethwick residents feel safer, including improvements along Bearwood Road and the surrounding area.

More information on the Safer Street project in Smethwick

Warnings over illegal fireworks sales Warnings were issued to five shops found selling fireworks to an underage volunteer as part of an undercover test purchasing operation during the first week of our Safer 6 campaign. The retailers face prosecution if they breach the law again. Sandwell Council's Trading Standards and Sandwell Police carried out the operation.

Help stop sexual exploitation

Modern slavery covers many forms of abuse including people trafficking, forced labour, criminal exploitation and sexual exploitation. It is real and is happening all around us.

Sexual exploitation is a form of sexual abuse which can take place in many ways and includes victims being forced, pressured, tricked or manipulated into sexual activity. While it mainly affects females, there are also male victims. Sexual exploitation can have devastating and long-term consequences.

You can play a crucial part in stamping out sexual exploitation by learning to spot the signs and reporting to the UK Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline on 08000 121 700.

You can also report any concerns you have via email to modern_slavery@sandwell.gov.uk

Do you sometimes worry about your children being online?

A new guide for parents and carers has been launched to help keep children safe online and to stop them being targeted by extremist material.

The guide covers apps and games, social media platforms, message boards, fake news and clickbait.

Check out the Online Safety Guide which has been devised by Sandwell Council's Prevent Team and launched during our Safer 6 campaign.

Domestic abuse support

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse and needs support, you can contact Black Country Women's Aid which provides a range of services and support to women and men experiencing domestic abuse from all communities, ethnicities and backgrounds.

You can contact them 24 hours a day on 0121 552 6448.

You can also contact Black Country Women's Aid via their webchat or on WhatsApp on 07384 466181 (9am-9pm weekdays).

There is also a service for men and boys who have experienced domestic abuse, rape and sexual abuse. Contact Ask Marc by phone on 0121 289 6402 and email info@askmarc.co.uk - or visit the Ask Marc website for more information.

Birmingham LGBT Centre can also provide a range of support services for LGBT victims.

Links and useful contacts

For more information on where you can find support in Sandwell if you have been the victim of an abuse or crime whether this is recent or was a long time ago.

Find out how to get involved and play your part in making your community even safer.

Find out what’s happening in your community by signing up to WMNow for updates about crime, safety advice and road closures.