Police work with partner agencies to drive out crime on the Saffron Lane Estate

A long-term campaign of action to tackle serious and organised crime affecting our communities is being piloted in South Leicester.

This new approach, called ‘Safer Saffron’, will see police and a wide range of partner agencies focus on the Home Office’s ‘Clear Hold Build’ method.  It will initially focus on the Saffron Lane Estate.

According to the Government’s 2019 Indices of Deprivation, which looks at things like people's income, their education and skills, health and disability, their living environment and local crime statistics, the Saffron Lane Estate is ranked 172nd for deprivation out of 32,844 neighbourhoods across England which is why it has been chosen to be part of the pilot.

Clear, Hold, Build is a three-step plan which sees organised criminals and their associates cleared from an area through relentless pursuit activity. There is a particular focus on drug supply and county lines, violent crime and weapon possession.

The area is then held and stabilised through high visibility police patrols with help from partner agencies and community support, to prevent another group from filling the void.

With support from key stakeholders, residents will then be equipped and empowered to build a strong and resilient community, free from crime and exploitation.

The plans were discussed at a meeting of around 50 residents and staff from partner agencies and organisations from across the area at Aylestone Leisure Centre.

Local officers sought the support of residents, businesses, local authority, statutory bodies, the voluntary sector and people working in education, youth work and healthcare, to pledge to work collectively and collaboratively to effectively deliver the Clear Hold Build strategy to make the Saffron Lane Estate a better, safer and more prosperous place to live, work and visit.

Inspector Paul Crewe, Commander of South Leicester Neighbourhood Policing Area, said; “Clear, Hold, Build is a common-sense policing approach. Taking out organised criminal gangs will prevent violence, shut down county lines which will stem the flow of harmful drugs poisoning our communities and cut down on anti-social behaviour. That will, in turn, create a brighter future for young people in those areas.

“These areas have so much to be proud of, but serious crime has implications for the whole community, from an increase in anti-social behaviour to impacts on local services like the NHS and social care but we cannot do this alone – it needs a police, partnership, and community response if we are to get the message through to the people involved in serious and organised crime that they are not welcome here. 

“Clear, Hold, Build is different from what we’ve done before because it has a much greater focus on the medium and long term, working with our partners to ensure the problems caused by deprivation and crime, do not simply start again.”

Cllr Sarah Russell, deputy city mayor and lead on community safety said: “We are pleased to be working in partnership with the police and others on this long term plan to tackle criminal behaviours and support our communities”.

Sharon Clutton from the Saffron Litter Wombles, said; “I have lived in the Saffron ward for most of my life, we have a fantastic community of generational families. We all deserve a home to be proud of and feel safe in, this is an important moment for proactive policing and welcomed by the community.”