There are a number of specific services within Darlington Borough Council that are working to make Darlington a safer place to live and work, but every department in the Council considers issues of community safety when making decisons.
The Safer Communities Team - Works strategically, coordinating the efforts of all the agencies in the CDRP, by developing action plans and providing support for the various meetings, which take place. This team works closely with Governement Office North East, regional partners and the Home Office to ensure efforts in the region are co-ordinated. The team also work across the Council, helping other departments to make better informed decisons that take full account of the potential effects on community safety.
CCTV - the Council’s Closed Circuit Television team monitor Camera’s across the town. They are able to record incidents that occur, to be used as evidence in a trial, and have quick links to the Police to enable a fast response to illegal activity. CCTV cameras in the town are both fixed and mobile, so they can be targeted in areas where any problem occurs.
CCTV Page
The Anti-Social Behaviour Team - works with the Wardens and Police to reduce anti- social behaviour in the area. The team works with both young people and adults to establish the cause of their behaviour and how it affects others. Where one individual is causing a lot of distress the ASB team can work with the individual to draw up an agreement about how they need to change their behaviour – this is called and Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC). Where agreements are not suitable the team can collect evidence to obtain and Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO). The team also work on Crack House Closure Orders – where class A drugs are being sold from a premises and with partners across Darlington using short term interventions to prevent offending behaviour. See the Anti Social Behaviour Page.
The Warden Service - the council has two sets of Wardens:
Housing Wardens, who work specifically in Council rented housing areas and, Community Wardens who patrol across Darlington. Wardens are able to develop close links with people in the neighbourhood where they work, and can help gather evidence to help monitor and reduce crime.
Domestic Abuse Team – The Domestic Abuse Co-ordinator and teamwork to support victims; increase knowledge of domestic abuse and with perpetrators and the probation service to prevent re-offending. See the Domestic Abuse page.
Darlington Domestic Abuse Forum
Others - The Youth Service, Adult Social Services, Children’s Services, Street Scene and many other parts of the Council are represented at a number of meetings and take on specific pieces of work to support the objectives of the CDRP. These can range from organising events, or seeking funding through to the joint provision of a full Family Interventions Project with parenting support.