NG15 March/April 2022

YOUR LOCAL
BEAT TEAMS
HUCKNALL
District Commander for
Ashfield
Inspector Jon Hewitt
Neighbourhood Policing Sgt
Sgt 2399 Colin Morley
PC 3388 Steve Read
Phone: 310 3388
PCSO 4891 James Walters
Phone: 310 4891
PCSO 8008 Simon Gazzard
Phone: ext 310 8008
PC 4526 Ebony Robinson
Phone: 310 4526
PCSO 4814 Rachel Swinney
Phone: ext 310 4814
PCSO 1655 Steven Timperley
Phone: 310 1655
PC 2711 Rich Howell
Phone: 310 4456
CALVERTON,
RAVENSHEAD &
VILLAGES
Neighbourhood Policing Insp.
Inspector Chris Pearson
Neighbourhood Policing Sgt
PS 2581 Neil Langham
Team no: 101 ext: 318 9719
PC 2280 Christopher Whild
101 ext: 811 6604
PC 1541 Nik Brennan
Tel: 101 ext: 310 1541
How police keep thousands safe on nights out
From dealing with drunken fights
to hen parties asking for a ‘selfie’,
policing Nottingham’s night-time
economy swings and fluctuates like no
other shift.
One minute officers find themselves
engaging with excited groups on a fun
night out. The next they are bundling a
suspect into the back of a police van
following a violent incident at a nearby bar.
They are long shifts – 8pm to 6am on a
Saturday night – and the all-embracing
aim of the policing teams is to ensure
people can enjoy a safe night out.
Occasionally this will require taking
someone into custody. But most of the
time officers will simply be patrolling
the streets, engaging with revellers and
providing help and assistance where
needed.
It’s why Sergeant Richard Tiernan, of the
city centre neighbourhood policing team,
enjoys policing the night-time economy.
“Ultimately it’s policing in its purest form,”
he said. “You’re out there and doing
what you joined up for, which is keeping
people safe.
“People have perceptions of what
policing the night-time economy is like
but you do get some rewarding jobs. The
other night we talked someone down
from the roof of a car park who was
having a mental health crisis.”
An estimated 40,000 people descend
on Nottingham every weekend to
enjoy the city’s nightlife and a mix of
Nottinghamshire Police teams are
tasked with keeping them safe.
Working to a rota, the weekend nighttime
team consists of up to 15 police
constables, two sergeants and one
inspector, but there are also response
officers, armed officers and the dog unit
on standby, ready to deal with any major
incidents.
Managing the night-time economy
involves a huge amount of planning
and Nottinghamshire Police works in
partnership with many organisations
including Nottingham City Council,
East Midlands Ambulance Service,
St John’s Ambulance, the University
of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent
University to keep revellers safe.
Police also work with door staff,
pub managers, street pastors and
community protection officers employed
by the council.
But regardless of how much planning
and work goes into policing the nighttime
economy, much will depend on
the weather gods. Rain means revellers
will go straight home, but dry weather
means they will remain in the city after
the pubs and clubs have closed.
Nottinghamshire Police is also
continuing to encourage local residents
to sign up to Nottinghamshire Alert so
they can have direct engagement with
the force and its partners around issues
that matter to them.
To sign up to Nottinghamshire Alert
visit: https://www.nottinghamshirealert.
co.uk/