East Suffolk Council
Keeping Felixstowe pubgoers safe
Funding has been provided for a new system aimed at improving the safety of Felixstowe’s night-time economy.
The East Suffolk Council Community Safety Partnership has provided Felixstowe Nightsafe Partnership with funding towards a Database and Intranet for Safer Communities (DISC) system which will help reduce evening crime rates and anti-social behaviour in Felixstowe.
The system allows for better communication, intelligence sharing and collaboration between businesses, law enforcement and local authorities by allowing them to share real-time updates about offenders, incidents and potential threats.
Venues will be able to identify known troublemakers using the system and take preventative action, such as refusing entry or increasing security measures.
Implementing a DISC system will also enable members of the Felixstowe Nightsafe Partnership to enforce exclusion orders across multiple venues, meaning that those banned from one venue will be prevented from causing trouble elsewhere.
The DISC system aims to establish a united front against crime and create a safer and more enjoyable environment for law-abiding customers. It will also create a deterrent effect, as offenders know they will be identified and banned, as well as encouraging a responsible nightlife participation.
Cllr Lee Reeves, Chair of the Community Safety Partnership said:
“By providing a centralised and proactive approach to crime prevention, DISC makes nightlife safer for businesses, customers, and the wider community.”
The Felixstowe Nightsafe Chair said:
“We are so pleased and thankful that East Suffolk Council Community Safety Partnership has awarded us the funding for our new Database & Intranet for Safer Communities system. This is a significant step forward in our commitment to public safety.
"By integrating advanced communication, we can prevent further incidents within our premises thus helping keep our venues safe for both guests and employees. We at Felixstowe Nightsafe Partnership believe that a proactive approach to crime prevention is essential, and our goal is to create a welcoming and secure environment where customers can enjoy their time without concerns for their safety.”
Felixstowe Nightsafe was formed in 2002 by local licensees and supported by Suffolk Constabulary and the Suffolk Coastal Community Safety Partnership (now known as the East Suffolk Community Safety Partnership). The aim of the group is to make Felixstowe a safe place to have an enjoyable night out by working together to prevent and reduce violence, anti-social behaviour, alcohol and drug related offences and general nuisance in or around licensed premises.