Enjoy your nights out safely this Christmas

Have you got plans for a night out?

Whether you're catching up with friends, going on a date or just enjoying some time out, we want you to have a great time – and stay safe while doing it. Here are some simple tips to help you enjoy your evening without worry all year round: Plan ahead – let someone know where you're going and when you expect to be back. You could also share your phone’s location with a trusted contact. Make sure your phone is fully charged before heading out so you can stay in touch and call for help if needed. Avoid walking alone if possible and stick to well-lit, busy streets. Steer clear from dark alleys or shortcuts. Do not leave drinks unattended and be wary of accepting a drink from a stranger, whether it’s alcoholic or not.  If you see someone acting suspiciously around your drink or someone else’s, tell a member of staff straight away.  Keep your valuables out of sight and avoid carrying unnecessary items.  Avoid unlicensed cabs. Share your taxi details or a photo of the registration plate with someone you trust. Want to know more? Watch this video to see how police are working to keep you safe on nights out throughout the entire year.

Safety is a priority for everyone and knowing what to do in unsafe situations can make a significant difference. ​

Staying safe when out and about

• Stay connected by informing trusted individuals of your whereabouts, traveling in pairs or groups, and keeping your phone charged. ​
• Stay alert by sticking to well-lit areas, walking facing traffic, and avoiding aggressive situations. ​
• Stay aware by always having your keys ready for easy access to car or home and, if necessary, find a busy place or knock on a door for help. ​
• Stay protected by carrying a personal safety alarm and using safety apps that can enhance your security. ​

If you do feel unsafe remember ReLATE

• Remain calm
• Leave the environment safely
• Alarm - activate a personal alert or call for help when feeling threatened
• Tell someone what has happened straight away
• Emergency - call 999 if needed ​

Empowering men to be upstanders

Men have the power to play a crucial role in addressing violence against women and girls. Men and boys can foster a culture of respect and equality, through challenging sexism and misogyny in daily interactions and standing up as allies to call out problematic behaviour or language among peers.

To reduce the anxieties of women in public spaces, men should be mindful of body language, keeping a steady walking pace and line, giving enough space for comfort and crossing the road to create an unimposing distance if necessary.

Building a safer community together Safety is a shared responsibility, and everyone has a role to play in fostering a secure environment. By staying vigilant, reporting incidents and supporting one another, we can collectively reduce risks and promote safety. Men have power to influence cultural change by being allies and advocates for women’s safety.  Let us all work together to create a community where everyone feels safe, respected and supported. ​

Our commitment to stand against violence towards women and girls

We marked the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence in November and December, and our work is far from over.

The whole community came together at West Bromwich Town Hall for the Sandwell Stands Summit to share learning, see artwork and make a borough-wide commitment to end violence against women and girls across Sandwell. This followed a series of sessions across our six towns for people to seek support and discuss issues.

Watch our video of the summit to see our commitment to ending gender-based violence in Sandwell.

Reclaim the Night Walk And our Reclaim the Night Walk in Oldbury on 8 December saw residents, partners and staff walk in solidarity to say no to violence, harassment and abuse, to reclaim our streets and public spaces and celebrate the strength and solidarity of our communities. With the help of our Safer Sandwell Partnership partners including Black Country Women's Aid, West Midlands Police, Sandwell Council and our community groups, charities and councillors, Sandwell Stands against all forms of violence towards women and girls. You can watch a series of videos from the walk.

Sandwell Council upgrades CCTV to boost safety and crack down on crime in West Bromwich

Sandwell Council has delivered a major upgrade to the CCTV network in West Bromwich town centre as part of a wider effort to tackle crime, anti-social behaviour (ASB) and improve how safe people feel in their local community.

The new investment has replaced 30 ageing cameras with new high-definition, IP-based technology, providing sharper images, improved reliability, and wider coverage across key crime and ASB hotspots.

The enhanced system will play a vital role in identifying offenders, supporting police investigations and deterring criminal behaviour. The upgraded wireless network will also reduce costs by eliminating fibre rental charges and will transmit footage securely to Sandwell Council’s CCTV control room.

These improvements directly support Sandwell’s Community Safety Strategy 2022–26, which prioritises tackling crime and ASB. They also respond to findings from the Sandwell Residents’ Survey, which revealed that some residents feel unsafe in West Bromwich town centre during the day, and a higher proportion feel unsafe at night. The new CCTV system aims to address these concerns, improving both actual safety and perceptions of safety across the town centre.

Councillor Kerrie Carmichael, Leader of Sandwell Council, said: “We’ve listened to what residents are telling us: people want to feel safe in West Bromwich. These new high-definition cameras will help catch offenders, deter anti-social behaviour and give the community greater confidence that their safety is our top priority.”

Find more information about the council's CCTV systems.

Artwork by 200 young people goes on display

A community art project has been unveiled by youth workers in Sandwell displaying communal artwork from more than 200 young people working together, funded by the Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) and delivered by Sandwell Council as part of the My Tomorrow campaign.

During October half-term, professional freelance artist 'Ginger Dan', aka Danni Evans, toured Sandwell’s six towns on board the council's Youth Bus to deliver the Belonging Project art workshops to young people across the borough.

The designs aim to celebrate young people’s sense of pride in their communities and have gone on display at the Coneygre Art Centre, in Tipton. Each canvas will then be put on permanent display at youth clubs and community centres in the six towns.

Protecting your home this winter 

West Midlands Police is stepping up efforts to keep you safe. Burglary and car crime often increases in winter, so officers are increasing patrols in key areas, acting on your information and working closely with partners to prevent crime and protect people. If you’re heading out, remember to lock up your windows, doors and porches. Check you have removed all valuables from your vehicle, locked it and put your keys in a secure location.  We also recommend keeping any items like laptops, phones, jewellery, wallets and car keys out of sight from windows and doors.  Visit the West Midlands Police website for advice on reporting anti-social behaviour and protecting your property. You can report anti-social behaviour to the police by calling 101 or to the council, visit our anti-social behaviour webpage for more information.

Hate crime awareness

In recent months, we've had workshops and information tables focused on hate crime awareness in community spaces, intending to educate local residents about the nature of hate crimes, their various forms, and the often long-term impact they can have. Activities included a discussion with the youth club at Malthouse Outdoor Activity Centre and information tables set up at Sandwell Family Hubs locations and libraries across Sandwell. These initiatives have emphasised the importance of reporting any incidents encountered and have offered guidance on where people in Sandwell can find support if they experience hate crime. Visit our hate crime webpage for more information on what hate crime is, the effects and how to report a hate crime, including our network of third-party reporting centres in the community.

Hate crime offender prosecuted

A 32-year-old woman from Sandwell has been sentenced for racially and homophobically aggravated offences at a pub.

In January, the woman was asked to leave the pub due to her behaviour. She became racially and homophobically abusive and assaulted two members of staff. During the assault, she was racially abusive towards one complainant and directed homophobic abuse towards the other.

The defendant was charged with two racially aggravated offences and two homophobically aggravated offences. She pleaded guilty to all charges at Birmingham Magistrates' Court in October. She was sentenced to 16 weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, which was uplifted from a community order to reflect the hate crime element. She was also ordered to pay £150 compensation to both victims.

Police support for women and girls

Police officers have been dropping into Smethwick Guru Nanak Gurdwara’s weekly Women’s Support Group.   They’ve have been sharing safety advice and updating people about what West Midlands Police is doing in response to a series of high-profile, racially-motivated crimes, committed against women across the region – which have been a real worry for people.   The centre is also a third-party hate crime reporting site where anyone can report a crime to staff which they believe was motivated by race, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity. Staff will pass the information on to the police for investigation and offer support. Any woman can attend the group which meets every Tuesday between 6pm and 7pm.  Useful links:  Hate crime reporting in Sandwell Personal safety advice West Midlands Police – Violence Against Women and Girls pledge and strategy

Your behaviour is your responsibility  

We all have bad days and that’s okay. But what’s not okay is for you to take your feelings out on others. No matter what you are feeling, there is absolutely no excuse for abuse. 

Domestic abuse can devastate the lives of your partner, children and others – both now and in the future. Take a moment to think how you would feel if you were suffering physical, emotional, sexual, financial or mental abuse.

If you’re worried that you may be a domestic abuse perpetrator and want to take steps to change your behaviour, the Respect Phoneline is there for you. Equally, if you’re concerned about your own safety or the behaviour of someone close to you, Respect can offer help and advice. 

This is a team of friendly advisors who will listen to you without judgement, and will offer you confidential and honest advice to help you stop being violent and become safe around your partner and children. Their website also has lots of information to support anyone affected by abuse. 

If you’re concerned about your behaviour or the behaviour of someone you know, contact the Respect Phoneline on 0808 802 4040 or head to the Respect website.  

Remember to always dial 999 in an emergency. You can also find out more and get advice by visiting the police's website and the council's domestic abuse support webpages.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse and need support to stay safe in your own home, ask us about our Sanctuary Scheme.

Contact your local Housing Team on 0121 368 1166 or email housing_choice@sandwell.gov.uk

Staying safe when dropping off deliveries 

There is often a rise in vehicle theft with delivery drivers becoming a target in the lead-up to Christmas. If you’re a delivery driver, here are some steps you can take to help you stay safe while you’re working:  If something does not look or feel right, do not make the delivery. Stay in your vehicle and report any suspicious activity to the police or your employer. Do not leave your engine running or keys in the ignition when making a delivery. Remove your keys and lock your doors. Park under a streetlight if possible and avoid parking in areas that are not well lit.  Think about fitting an approved vehicle tracker and install a dashcam. Be aware of vehicles following you and stopping at the same location as you.  If you want to report any concerns about delivery driver attacks or vehicle thefts in your area, or tell us something you think we need to know, you can contact us via the West Midlands Police website.  Remember to always call 999 in an emergency.  Get more advice on keeping your delivery vehicle safe.

Tackling extremism and terrorism

New devices, new risks: staying safe online

Christmas is often a positive and exciting time – especially when children and young people get new phones, games and tablets. Most of their time online will be safe and harmless.

But some people do use the internet to spread hate and extremism, and to groom others into believing that violence is the answer.

You might notice changes in a child, teenager or young adult you know, such as:

• spending much more time online or hiding what they’re looking at
• talking as if “it’s us against the world”
• repeating extreme or hateful views they’ve seen online
• becoming more angry, intolerant or withdrawn

You don’t have to be sure something is wrong before you talk to someone. It’s okay just to feel unsure and ask for advice.

Share a concern

If you’re concerned about a friend or family member being drawn towards extremist ideas, you can get confidential, non-judgemental support:

Call the ACT Early Support Line on 0800 011 3764. It's open 24 hours a day, every day. Specially trained officers will listen, answer questions and talk through possible next steps.

Sandwell Council webpage: Tackling extremism and terrorism

Cash reward for crime information Do you know who’s responsible for crime in your area, but do not want to talk to the police? The Crimestoppers charity pays cash rewards of up to £1,000 if the information you give them leads to an arrest or is of significant use. Crimestoppers is not the police and nobody will ever know that you have helped them. They will never trace your call or your computer’s IP address. You can share information on things like those responsible for dumping rubbish, selling fake cigarettes, people suspected of carrying knives, and much more.

Useful links

We have 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 your nearest hate crime third-party reporting centre if you wish to report a hate crime through local organisations rather than to the police directly. Hate crime third-party reporting centre staff are trained on dealing with reports of hate crime and can help you get the support that you may need after experiencing or witnessing a hate crime.

Get the latest updates on the policing priorities for your area, from the local inspector. You can visit the West Midlands Police website or get them emailed to you regularly by subscribing for free WMnow email updates.

Register your CCTV and doorbell cameras with today on West Midlands Police CCTV Registry to receive alerts when your footage may help catch criminals operating in your area.

Operation Snap – send the police your footage of careless and dangerous driving, and they'll do the rest.

Find out more about the Black Country-wide street racing injunction. Sandwell Council has taken 13 people to court for breaching the injunction on the borough's roads. All 13 people have received suspended prison sentences. Please report incidents to the council online or to the police by calling 101.

Report nuisance caused by off-road motorbikes and other off-road vehicles. People riding illegally face arrest and having their vehicle seized and crushed.

The Just Youth website is the go-to place for children and young people in Sandwell to find something to do, someone to talk to and somewhere to go. Designed with and for young people, the website provides:

• Advice, guidance and signposting on a wide range of topics
• Help to find someone to talk to if they have an issue
• Help to find something to do in their local area
• An opportunity to have their voice heard through a youth forum or group

Find out more information about the Safer Sandwell Partnership.