Sandwell Council has launched a new radio link scheme that connects businesses in Wednesbury Town Centre to the council’s CCTV control room, the police and the bus station.
Twenty businesses are involved in the link scheme which helps partners to provide a fast response to any crime incidents in the town centre like shoplifiting.
There have already been arrests as a result of the scheme.
This is part of the Levelling Up Partnership Community Safety project which has been delivered overseen by the Wednesbury Levelling Up Partnership Board and Funded by Government.
This project has delivered:
• 26 new and upgraded CCTV cameras in Wednesbury Town Centre and Friar Park
• 8 deployable cameras
• A new business partnership in the town centre
• A radio link scheme connecting 20 businesses, the police, the bus station and the council’s CCTV control room
• 11 locations with nuisance bike measures
These improvements are part of widespread changes to the town proposed in the Wednesbury Town Centre Masterplan
Councillor Suzanne Hartwell, Sandwell Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community, said:
“Residents told us that they have concerns about safety. The council wants residents to feel safe in their communities during the day and at night. This is part of the Council Plan and we’ve got great work taking place across Sandwell’s towns to address this with our partners.”
Inspector Leigh Harrison for Sandwell North said: “We are working hard to make sure Wednesbury is a safe place to work, live and visit and the introduction of a retail radio scheme contributes towards that.
“The scheme allows retailers to speak to police officers and other stores if they see any suspicious activity, providing a well-connected system to share intelligence and any theft trends.
“The radios should not be used to report crime so if you do see any suspicious activity then call 101 or contact us via Live Chat on our website. Always call 999 in an emergency.”
Find out more information on the community safety project or other LUP initiatives.