Support is available if your evening doesn’t go as planned

Police officers in Plymouth are raising awareness of a number of support initiatives available during the evenings and late nights which are there to keep people safe if something goes wrong.

Inspector Dom Nicholls, who heads up the neighbourhood policing team for Plymouth Central, said: “Plymouth offers a great atmosphere during the evenings. It’s a popular spot for many to enjoy a night out, especially with the number of university students we welcome to the city each year.

“Whilst the nightlife in Plymouth is safe, we know that nights out don’t always go as planned and things can go wrong. We want to make sure people are aware of the various initiatives in place across the city to help and keep people safe from harm.”

High-visibility patrols:

Police officers conduct regular high-visibility foot and vehicle patrols across the city during the evening and late nights. “The places where we patrol are data and intelligence led – we go where we know crime happens and where people tell us there are issues, or where they feel unsafe. We want to have a strong presence in the city to deter crime before it happens and identify people who are looking to commit or have committed a crime. An important part of this is to be present and approachable for anyone who might need us.

“Many of our police officers who patrol during the evenings also have specialist training, which means they are highly skilled in spotting predatory behaviour, particularly towards women. They’re trained in using tactics to prevent behaviour from escalating into an offence.

“We also work very closely with the council’s CCTV team in the city, who are skilled at spotting behaviour that doesn’t look right, for instance, a person hanging around outside a pub or bar approaching vulnerable people. Working with the CCTV team means our officers investigate the unusual behaviour before it potentially escalates into an offence,” Insp Nicholls added.

Plymouth Safe Bus:

The Safe Bus, which was set up by Devon & Cornwall Police and a number of local partners including Plymouth City Council, is located in Derry’s Cross every Saturday between 10pm – 4am. The purpose of the bus is to create a safe space where anyone can drop by and access help if they need it. Whether someone needs to get out of the nightlife environment, feels unsafe, needs medical care, or if they simply need to charge their phone so they can get home safely, the bus and the team are there to help.

Plymouth Night Patrol: 

The Night Patrol is made up of a group of trained volunteer students from Plymouth University who patrol the city in small groups from 9pm to 4.30am on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights. The team provide welfare and medical support to student peers as well as the wider community.

“The work the Night Patrol team do to support their peers is invaluable. They’re also an immense help to our officers. For example, if we come across a student who has consumed quite a bit of alcohol, the patrol team will be there to help them get them back to their accommodation safely.”

Street Pastors: 

Plymouth Street pastors are a group of volunteers who regularly walk the busy streets of Plymouth during the evenings, providing care, help and a listening ear to anyone who needs it. To date, they have provided help to over 300 assault victims, administered first aid more than 1,000 times and given reassurance, advice and directions to over 2,000 people.

Ask for Angela:

The 'Ask for Angela' scheme allows anyone who may be feeling threatened or unsafe while on a date or during a night out, to approach a bar in a pub or nightclub to seek help by asking for 'Angela'. Trained staff will then assist by discreetly calling a cab, contacting a friend or relative to collect them, or asking the individual causing the distress to leave the premises.

Insp Dom Nicholls said: “Making sure the evenings and late nights is safe for everyone, especially for women and girls, is a priority for us; everyone should be able to enjoy themselves. 

“Our proactive work continues across the city to ensure that Plymouth remains a safe place for everyone. Going forward we will be looking to introduce new tactics and initiatives to make the city even safer - one of those initiatives we’d like to raise awareness for is ‘walk and talk’.

“Walk and talk encourages women over the age of 18 to tell us about areas where they feel unsafe in the city. A female police officer will then join women on a walk through the area, showing the officer why they feel unsafe. Police teams will then look at these concerns and work alongside our partners, like the local council, to devise a plan to tackle them. For anyone that is interested in this scheme, email: walkandtalk@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk.

“As a message to the communities of Plymouth - please continue to report any behaviour that doesn’t look right. We take all reports seriously. Your information can help us to identify and arrest people who look to cause harm to the public and vulnerable people.”

“If you see our officers and need support, please approach them. We are here to help anyone who needs it. If you’re on a night out - have a great time, but please make sure you keep yourselves safe and know that help and support is available if you need it.”

If you have any information or concerns about crime in Plymouth, please report it to Devon & Cornwall Police online via the website or by calling 101.

You can also report information anonymously to Crimestoppers UK on 0800 555111. Your information could help save a life. If a crime is taking place, call 999.