Police success at Bangor’s Freshers’ Fair

Students in Bangor have been given reassurance that North Wales Police are listening to their views, after spending two days at the University Freshers’ Fair.

Held last week at the Students Union on Glanrafon Hill, the Freshers Fair saw thousands of students’ attend.

North Wales Police and the Police Authority visited the Fair with an outdoor stall which included the ‘Balance your Bobbies’ display, crime prevention leaflets and useful goodies such as mugs, mini-torches and pens.

The University CBM was also on-hand distributing crime prevention packs. Whilst visiting the stall the students were able to take part with the ‘Balance your Bobbies’ scheme – an initiative that was launched by the force and the authority at the National Eisteddfod in Bala this year.

‘Balance your Bobbies’ is an interactive scheme whereby people can indicate which issues they would like the police to concentrate on in their area. Prior to the Fair, four priorities, were set out – Drugs, Alcohol-related Anti Social Behaviour, Personal safety and Theft / Burglary.

Ian Davies, from North Wales Police’s Citizen Focus programme said: “Having a presence at the Fair proved to be a great success. We estimate that over 2,000 students visited us over the two-day period which is fantastic.

“We see close engagement with all communities within North Wales as key to making people feel reassured and that we are listening to their issues at a very local level. By doing this with the students over the two days, we’ve been able to interact with them to find out what’s important to them.”

Personal Safety came out top with over 1,440 votes, Alcohol-related Anti-Social Behaviour a close second with 1,170 votes, burglary and theft third with 954 votes and drugs coming in fourth with 810 votes.

Community Beat Manager for the University, PC Gwenno Jones said: “We were extremely pleased to be part of the Freshers’ Fair and being able to offer advice to students – many of whom are away from home for the first time.

“It was interesting to see the outcome of ‘Balance your Bobbies’ and we certainly have some food for thought for the future."

Bangor District Inspector, Richard Green said: “This was a very worthwhile exercise and our intention now is to create a "Top 10" of personal safety tips and thereafter visit the University with a presentation of Perception v Reality.”

Anyone wishing to contact the local Bangor Neighbourhood Policing Team can phone 101 or 0845 607 1001 (Welsh line) or 0845 607 1002 (English line).

Contact details for individual CBM’s and PCSO’s are also available on the North Wales Police website – www.north-wales.police.uk