Latest news with #publicSafety
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
14 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Tennessee man charged with 3 counts of attempted murder following I-65 shooting
LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — The Limestone County Sheriff's Office said it arrested a man involved in a shooting on I-65 Saturday. LCSO said deputies responded to a report of a shooting on I-65 in the area of Mile Marker 347. The sheriff's office said a 911 caller reported that a man on a motorcycle fired shots at him and his family while traveling northbound. The gunfire hit the victim's vehicle, endangering the lives of everyone inside, LCSO said. Following the alert issued with a detailed description of the suspect, troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency found the suspect approximately 10 miles from the scene. LCSO deputies then responded to assist with the traffic stop and positively identified the suspect as Jason Jermain Johnson, 30, of Centerville, Tennessee. Community support for family involved in deadly Mother's Day wreck going beyond state lines During the arrest, Johnson was found in possession of a loaded pistol, two additional loaded magazines and was wearing a bullet-resistant vest beneath an Outcast Motorcycle Club vest. Johnson was arrested and charged with three counts of attempted murder and shooting into an occupied vehicle. A bond has not been set at this time, and Aniah's Law hearing will be scheduled later. 'This reckless violence has no place on our highways,' Sheriff McLaughlin said. 'We are thankful no innocent lives were lost, and we will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure the public's safety.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Vehicle repair scams being done in local parking lots, police say
AMERICAN FORK, Utah (ABC4) — American Fork police are warning the public about fraudulent vehicle repair offers taking place in parking lots around the community. There has been an increasing number of reports about the scam in Utah County, police said. Here's how it works. Individuals approach drivers in public parking lots, claiming they can quickly repair minor damage, such as dents or scratches, for a small fee. Victims then report two common outcomes. One, the repair is never completed after payment is made. Two, after the victim sends payment via Venmo, Cash App, or other mobile payment apps, the scammer claims the transaction didn`t go through, then takes the victim's phone under the guise of checking the app, and sends more unauthorized payments to themselves. 'These scams have already cost residents hundreds of dollars,' American Fork police said. Here are the following rules to follow in order to avoid this type of scam, provided by police: Do not allow unsolicited individuals to perform repairs on your vehicle in public places. Only trust certified auto body shops or professionals you personally know. Never hand over your phone to a stranger, especially after making a digital payment. If you've been a victim or have witnessed this type of activity, please contact the American Fork Police Department immediately. 'I'm just embarrassed about being scammed,' one victim, who wished to remain anonymous, said in an interview with ABC4. 'I look back at it, like, man, I can't believe I fell for that. You know?' 'I had gotten in a car accident about a year before and I had a big dent in the front of my car that I needed to get fixed, and I hadn't gotten fixed yet.' they said. 'So during traffic hour and on the freeway, this guy stopped, like pulled up next to me … So he's honking me down and I put down my window a little confused. He's like, 'Hey, I see you have that dent.'' They continued, 'He spoke very professionally, like really salesy. And he said, 'I can get that dent fixed for you right now. You know, if we just pull over to the side of the road, you know, I have all my tools with me.'' The victim said they took the next exit and pulled off to a parking lot. 'So they start working on the car after I send the money. And they bumped out the dent, but it's still like lumpy. Obviously, it's not perfect,' they said. 'And he goes, 'Alright, we're gonna put this bondo on there and contact me tomorrow and we'll get your car fixed.' So we get to that day. I call him again later that night.' On the call, the scammer said they could set up a time to get the rest done the following day. Once the victim began sending photos of the damage for reference, they discovered they had been blocked. The victim then reached out from a different phone, and the messages went through. The scammer then blocked that number, after trying to convince the victim that they had not blocked the original number. It was at that point that the victim contacted police and filed a report. They said they had sent the money via Cash App. 'I messed up. I shouldn't have trusted him. It was unfortunate for sure.' End of the month wrap-up — a closer look at May's weather Vehicle repair scams being done in local parking lots, police say Utah Democratic Party elects new leadership, Brian King Mama and baby bear cool off in California family's pool Last living grandson of 10th U.S. President John Tyler, dies at 96 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Bristol axes the Knowledge after only eight taxi drivers pass
Bristol has axed the Knowledge test for taxi drivers after only eight passed the quiz. Council officials said the 'outdated' test, which requires drivers to learn road names and locations to get their passengers to their destinations quickly, had become a 'barrier'. Figures revealed that just eight of 133 people taking it in Bristol this year managed to pass. Drivers have to answer at least 75 out of 100 questions correctly and must also achieve a minimum pass mark in all 10 categories – four or five out of 10 questions in each. A report to Bristol city council's public safety and protection committee, the 90-minute test was described as 'outdated'. Test 'should prioritise safety' In November 2023, a decision was taken to update Department for Transport guidance, with the committee report making it clear that topographical knowledge was no longer needed. It said: 'Given the availability, reliability and ease of use of sat nav systems, licensing authorities should not require any topographical knowledge or navigational tests for private hire vehicle drivers.' Instead, the report recommended that the sections that should stay in the test should prioritise safety, including child sexual exploitation, general road safety, along with how to calculate change, policy and legislation, and equality. The committee further suggested the test needed to be strengthened with a wider range of questions and topics which protect public safety, including disability awareness, planning routes using navigation devices, conflict avoidance, and also what steps to take if they face racial abuse, abusive comments or hate speech. The Knowledge was first introduced in 1865 as a requirement for taxi drivers, and it takes between three or four years to master the test. Drivers are taught precise locations and routes to hotels, pubs, restaurants and clubs, along with places of interest or the district of a particular road.
News24
3 days ago
- General
- News24
Fear and loathing: Fixing the system in a country at war
Several years ago, while living in the UK, my relative's car was broken into and his GPS was stolen. The incident was reported to the police, but with no expectation of results. After all, in South Africa, reports are often filed solely for insurance purposes, with no real hope of police investigation. Surprisingly, a few weeks later, the UK police found the perpetrator - a suspected drug user. They returned the GPS along with a letter from the suspect, expressing deep regret for the theft. I doubt even one South African could tell a similar story after getting robbed at home. Fast forward to present-day South Africa. Just a week after a government delegation led by President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted in the glare of international media during a meeting with US President Donald Trump that the country's crime was out of control, tragedy has struck. A 30-year-old woman was murdered in what appears to be a horrific kidnapping and robbery attempt gone wrong, leaving her family in mourning. Public outcry has spurred swift police action, resulting in the arrest of one suspect and an ongoing manhunt for three others. However, cases like this are sadly the exception; more often than not, reports of crime lead nowhere, and cases grow cold. In this week's Friday Briefing, former SARS executive and crime analyst Johann van Loggerenberg unpacks how systemic failures in the criminal justice system have plunged the country into chaos. We also have a contribution from the News24 investigations team, which casts a critical eye on how senior police officials are more focused on jockeying for rank and influence than on fixing the system or combating crime. To round up the analysis on the state of SA's crime situation, Yale University Professor Jonny Steinberg delves into the role politics play in the state's inaction to deal with high crime rates. Additionally, in-depth writer Muhammad Hussain interviews Communications Minister Solly Malatsi about his draft ICT policy, which has stirred significant debate. Explore these thought-provoking submissions below. We no longer have the luxury of time to pontificate on crime We simply do not have the luxury of time to pontificate on crime anymore. We need to do something about it. Getting the criminal justice system to operate as a system is the start, writes Johann van Loggerenberg. Read the rest of the submission here. COP COLD WAR | Leaks, accusations and smears: SA's top cops at war as crime rages unabated A push for key positions in the top police ranks is under way, which could see a seismic shift in the criminal justice ecosystem. However, as the News24 investigations team highlights, that is unlikely to result in addressing SA's high crime rate. Read the rest of the submission here. Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images Fear and politics: Hidden barriers to reducing SA's violent crime Jonny Steinberg reflects on South Africa's crime rate and why it remains persistently high, arguing that part of the problem is that the state has been criminalised, and detectives investigating violent crimes fear that fellow law-enforcement officials might impede them or even have them killed. Read the rest of the submission here. Q&A with Solly Malatsi | 'Peel off paranoia, conspiracies, propaganda' of draft policy directive Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi defends his draft policy direction that would allow multinational companies alternatives to the 30% local ownership requirement in a Q&A with in-depth writer Muhammad Hussain. He clarifies that the status quo prevails until the process is over, meaning one shouldn't expect Starlink to enter the market soon.
