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The RESPECT initiative was started up just over a year ago to tackle a rising number of problems including anti-social behaviour, under-age drinking, and groups of young people who cause annoyance to some other members of the community in North Lincolnshire.

The RESPECT patrol is now out every weekend dealing with complaints and dealing with underage drinking and the problems it causes. Young people constantly try to outwit the police by disguising their drinking by putting alcohol in non-alcoholic bottles. Police have recently been targeting this particular problem and in conjunction with the Home Office, now use special testing kits to try to establish the nature of any suspicious liquid and take the appropriate action, which leads to alcoholic liquids being confiscated.

Insp. Hall (standing) and Sgt. Jim Hall

Insp. Hall, a former Royal Navy man, and Sgt.Hain, who up until seven years ago, was a hotel manager explained how neighbourhood police teams are encouraged to engage with young people in a friendly and informal manner where possible. They also described other tactics the teams use to try and get closer to the community.

Recently police teams using bicycles in some of the urban areas of Scunthorpe clocked up over 1500 miles using police pedal power. As Dave and Jim explain in their interview the use of bicycle patrols, means that officers can quickly, quietly and efficiently often spot any signs of potential trouble and are able to intervene and prevent an escalation of trouble. They also highlighted that using this method of transport give the police a higher profile amongst the local community.

The officers report that the urban cycling scheme has been so successful they are planning to extend it to rural areas such as Brigg. When asked if they considered using a bike a bit low tech, they respond by saying this form of transport is just a part of a range of equipment members of Humberside Police can bring to bear when carrying out their duties in the forces area.