Latest news with #AlisonLowe
BBC News
an hour ago
- General
- BBC News
Anti-social driving a big concern in Bradford
Anti-social car use, including drivers revving their engines or catcalling from their vehicles, is a significant concern for residents in Bradford, police have council is considering plans to extend a public space protection order (PSPO) to clamp down on driver behaviour that causes a nuisance, but is not necessarily order was first introduced by Bradford Council in 2019 and more than 400 motorists have been fined since Supt Richard Padwell from West Yorkshire Police said the anti-social use of vehicles "continues to be one of the most significant concerns for our communities, as is frequently evidenced in community safety meetings and surveys". He said the existing PSPO, which also targets car meets, "significantly contributes to maintaining public safety, reducing anti-social behaviour and ensuring that the communities of Bradford are safe from this type of activity."Alison Lowe, West Yorkshire's deputy mayor for policing and crime, said officers found that "anti-social behaviour related to driving disproportionately impacted women and girls".Lowe said she believed the PSPO would "support our targeted work" to tackle issues around women's Council asked the public for its views on the proposed extension earlier this year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.A total of 942 people responded, of which 97% said anti-social vehicle use was "a big problem" or "a fairly big problem".Most people supported the will discuss the proposed extension at a meeting on Thursday. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Police make 180 arrests in knife crime crackdown
Officers made 180 arrests and seized 30 bladed weapons during a week-long knife crime crackdown in West Yorkshire. West Yorkshire Police conducted 55 "knife sweeps" in parks, fields and in urban centres in search of weapons as part of the national Sceptre initiative. High visibility patrols were also deployed in 66 knife crime hotspots in the county, with police visiting 43 schools to carry out awareness campaigns. A force spokesperson said the initiative was part of its "longer term work to dissuade young people from carrying knives in the first place". During the seven days of targeted action, weapons including knives and a sword were uncovered after a search of an address in Batley. Other avenues included visits to retailers to test if they were willing to sell knives to children. One shop in Calderdale was found to be selling blades without carrying out age checks. Ch Supt Lee Berry, of the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership, said: "I hope residents have been reassured by all of the highly visible action which has taken place in our communities. "Anyone who has information about persons carrying knives or the illegal sale of them is urged to contact either their local neighbourhood policing team or the independent Crimestoppers charity." Alison Lowe, West Yorkshire's deputy mayor for policing and crime, said: "This is a vital part of our collective ambitions on knife crime here in West Yorkshire. "This dedicated awareness week offers just a window into the ongoing partnership work taking place, day in day out, to keep our communities safe." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North 'Personal responsibility' needed to tackle knives Carrying knives 'commonplace' among teens West Yorkshire Police
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Police make 180 arrests and seize 30 weapons during knife crackdown
Officers made 180 arrests and seized 30 bladed weapons during a week-long knife crime crackdown in West Yorkshire. West Yorkshire Police conducted 55 "knife sweeps" in parks, fields and in urban centres in search of weapons as part of the national Sceptre visibility patrols were also deployed in 66 knife crime hotspots in the county, with police visiting 43 schools to carry out awareness campaigns. A force spokesperson said the initiative was part of its "longer term work to dissuade young people from carrying knives in the first place". During the seven days of targeted action, weapons including knives and a sword were uncovered after a search of an address in avenues included visits to retailers to test if they were willing to sell knives to children. One shop in Calderdale was found to be selling blades without carrying out age checks. Ch Supt Lee Berry, of the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership, said: "I hope residents have been reassured by all of the highly visible action which has taken place in our communities."Anyone who has information about persons carrying knives or the illegal sale of them is urged to contact either their local neighbourhood policing team or the independent Crimestoppers charity."Alison Lowe, West Yorkshire's deputy mayor for policing and crime, said: "This is a vital part of our collective ambitions on knife crime here in West Yorkshire."This dedicated awareness week offers just a window into the ongoing partnership work taking place, day in day out, to keep our communities safe." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Counter-terror police probe whether crossbow attack that injured two women 'motivated by incel ideology'
Counter-terror police probing a crossbow attack on a popular student pub run said to have been fuelled by 'misogynistic rage' are examining whether it was motivated by incel ideology, sources said today. A 38-year-old 'key suspect' remains under police guard in hospital in a critical condition after sustaining a self-inflicted injury in Saturday's terrifying daylight rampage in Leeds. Detectives probing the attack in which at least two women were targeted – one of whom suffered life-threatening injuries - have been analysing a Facebook post outlining plans for 'The Otley Run massacre'. It describes the 'attack type' as 'spree killing, mass murder, terrorism', motivated by 'revenge' and 'misogynistic rage' - and adds the user had 'explored far-Right ideas'. Facebook's parent company, Meta, has deactivated the account in question. Police have stepped up patrols amid a widespread sense of shock in the popular student area, with West Yorkshire's deputy mayor for policing and crime sending a message to 'women and girls' that 'we're here for you'. Whether the suspect was motivated by incel ideology 'forms part of the inquiry', a security source said yesterday. However the misogynistic movement – short for involuntary celibate – can overlap with other ideologies and the motivation remains unclear, they added. Pictured left to right: A break barrel air rifle that fires lead pellets and a crossbow left at the scene MI5 have also been helping counter-terror police with routine background checks as in any such incident, the source said. It comes as Mail Online revealed yesterday that students may have initially mistaken the attacker for a reveller in fancy dress - and carried on drinking. One of the two women hurt in Saturday's attack - aged 19 and 31 - suffered life-threatening injuries. She was in a stable condition last night following surgery, while the other victim has been discharged. Just minutes before Saturday afternoon's attack, the Otley Road area of Leeds was packed with students in fancy dress - some as the Pope - queuing to get into packed-out pubs. More than 15 pubs are on the Otley Run route in the Headlingley area of the city and it is attempted by groups of students and residents, as well as stag and hen dos, often in fancy dress. Shocking footage later emerged of a man strolling along a street carrying bulky items in both hands. Two weapons - a crossbow and a firearm - were recovered from the scene. Police have been guarding a modern block of flats less than a five-minute walk away where the suspect is understood to live. A neighbour said: 'I think it was a cry for help. 'He was not a bad guy.' The neighbour added: 'The police have been there all night. 'Those poor girls are never going to be the same.' Speaking out to reassure women in Leeds yesterday, Alison Lowe, deputy mayor of West Yorkshire for policing and crime, said: 'The suspect injured themselves and is now in hospital under police guard so the threat has been eliminated.' Saying the public would see an increased police presence across the Headingley area of Leeds, she told the BBC that officers knew people there were 'very frightened'. 'I would be scared if I had witnessed or been close to an incident of that magnitude,' she added. 'All I can say to those women and girls is that we're here for you. We're increasing those patrols.' Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said her thoughts were with the victims, adding that she was being updated. Yesterday Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said: 'The investigation continues and officers are working at pace to establish the full facts and circumstances of Saturday's incident. 'We are not currently seeking anyone else in connection with this matter, which has caused understandable concern. 'We believe it was an isolated incident.'
BBC News
05-03-2025
- BBC News
Carrying knives in Bradford 'commonplace' among teens
Teenagers in Bradford have said they fear the consequences of knife crime are not getting through to their at New College Bradford said carrying blades had become "commonplace" among young people in the BBC spoke to students in the city after West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin published her crime plan for the to the students views, Alison Lowe, deputy mayor for policing, said a key part of delivering the plan was to listen to young people's concerns. Areebah, 17, said knives were now "commonplace" and described hearing people talk about them as "something that shouldn't be concerning".She said on one occasion she had seen had been walking to meet a group of friends when she had seen a group of boys with a blade."One of them pulled out a knife to show it to his friends whilst I was walking past," she said."Then I noticed they turned around and followed me. I was really afraid in that situation something might go wrong."She said more needed to be done to remove the "sense of glorification" around knives. Victor, also 17, said he had not been directly impacted by knife crime, but he had a friend who had been unable to take his GCSEs after he had been said he did not believe the way those in authority were dealing with knives was "effective" and said he would like to see more done to highlight the "repercussions and consequences of what could happen". He questioned whether the Deputy Mayor knew how they were going to stop knife crime, saying: "Just saying we are going to stop knife crime isn't enough, we need an actual strategy put in place for it to happen." Fellow student Amy, 17, said she worried that efforts to tackle knife crime were falling on deaf ears, saying she did not believe those involved "would hear about what the Mayor's saying or what the Mayor is trying to do".She said: "They'll just think about gangs, they're not thinking about the wider societal impact. They're more thinking about their own safety and protection."Her friend, 17-year-old Khushi said she while there was information available "it's only there if you openly choose to read about it".She said more bag checks could help cut the number of people carrying blades."If there were implications where people felt they couldn't bring a knife into somewhere it would prevent people from being able to do it so easily," she said she supported actor Idris Elba's suggestion that the points could be removed from some kitchen knives, which she said would mean "the danger of them being used in the streets is much less". Responding to the students concerns, Lowe said: "[The students] are very wise and understand that the world is a different place than it is for us adults."Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds, she said she was keen to listen to the region's young people and understand the issue from their point of view."Children are being threatened online so children are never safe, they go home to their bedrooms they've got access to social media the threats are coming there they really believe they need to arm themselves to be safe," she said following a report by the Mayor's Youth Commission "serious violence" had been identified as their "number one priority".Reducing violence against women and girls and ending road deaths also feature in the crime crime, excluding fraud, fell by 9% in West Yorkshire in the 12 months up to September to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
