Collective response needed to tackle dealing and antisocial behaviour
The IWCA carried out a community patrol on Blackbird/Greater Leys last week in response to increased concern expressed by residents over hard drug dealing and antisocial behaviour.
All three IWCA councillors for the estate—Stuart Craft, Lee Cole and Jane Lacey—took part.
IWCA community patrols are made of up of volunteers from Blackbird/Greater Leys and aim to gather evidence of open drug dealing and other criminal activity as well as deterring the perpetrators from operating on the estate.
Last week’s patrol passed off without incident, although a small number of suspicious characters were spotted hanging around in alleyways. These individuals ran or cycled off as the patrol approached.
In the light of a reduction in policing resources for the estate (see article left) the IWCA has decided to step up activity against crack and heroin dealing as well as other forms of antisocial behaviour that blight the lives of Blackbird Leys residents.
IWCA councillor for Northfield Brook Stuart Craft said, ‘The authorities can’t be allowed to hide behind public relations exercises like Neighbourhood Policing. The IWCA community patrol aims to highlight this as well as to promote the message that, in the face of indifference from the police, the working class residents of Blackbird Leys residents have no choice but to take lawful collective action in order to tackle the problems of hard drug dealing and persistent antisocial behaviour.’
Leys Independent, issue 34, October 2006
| 
