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Cancer survival rates among
the best in England
A postwoman who suffered a horrific dog
attack has teamed up with Merseyside Police to urge dog owners to keep their
pets under control.
Claire Millen, a Liverpool postwoman, was bitten when the dog owner opened the
door as she was delivering mail to the house in Norris Green last September. She
needed several stiches, but says it will take much longer for the emotional
scars to heal.
Claire, 32, said:- "It was a terrifying experience and I still have the
physical scars to prove it. I am now scared to take my children out to the park
in case there are dogs running around there. That’s why I fully support Royal
Mail’s Dog Awareness Week 2015 campaign and I would urge owners to make sure
their dogs are safely in the house and under their control whenever anyone calls
at the door."
On average eight postmen and women a day are set upon by dogs across the UK with
more than 2,960 attacks taking place from April 2014 to April 2015.
So Merseyside Police have teamed up with Royal Mail and the Communication
Workers Union (CWU) to mark National Dog Awareness Week to esnure dog owners are
aware of the penalties they can now face if their pet attacks a postal worker.
Royal Mail have a list of nearly 7,500 houses in Merseyside which have displayed
signs to say there is a dog inside that may be protective of their owners, or
property, allowing postal workers to be alerted to the presence of the dogs on
their route. It enables postal workers to approach each address with caution and
can help dogs feel less threatened by their
presence when delivering mail.
The initiative has helped curb the number of staff being bitten, but many are
still being attacked.
Inspector Gareth Phelps, from Merseyside Police’s Dogs and Mounted Section,
said:- "We are very pleased to be supporting Royal Mail’s Dog Awareness
week. We have worked in partnership with the Royal Mail and the CWU to use new
legislation brought in last May making it an offence to have a dog dangerously
out of control in a private place, as well as a public place, to protect postal
workers from dog attacks. Like many others, postal workers are dependent on
people being responsible dog owners as they go about their job. We are working
to encourage the reporting of incidents by Royal Mail employees to the police
and to assure them that we now have more powers than ever to ensure the owners
of those dogs are brought to justice. It is essential that we maximise the
opportunities the new legislation gives us to improve the service we provide to
all members of our communities. We are seeking to improve public safety while
giving due consideration to the welfare of the dogs involved."
The number of court cases involving attacks by dogs in the UK has increased by
62%, with 718 cases brought against dog owners or handlers in magistrate courts
from June to December last year, compared with 444 during the previous six
months.
Over the same period, the number of successful prosecutions increased by 71%,
with 553 convictions secured compared with 325.
The law change means the owner of a dog who has killed a person can now face 14
years in jail, while the owner of a dog causing serious injury can be jailed for
5 years.
Jamie McGovern, CWU area health and safety representative, said:- "We take
a no tolerance approach. If a postal worker perceives a threat to their safety
when approaching a property, they are advised not to deliver to that address. If
a dog is dangerously out of control in a street, we would not send one of our
members of staff into that street so everyone suffers due to the actions of one
irresponsible dog owner. We want people to consider they could be prosecuted if
their dog bites the fingers of a postal worker through a letter box. Installing
a cage to the letter box indoors, an external letter box or simply keeping a dog
away from the front door could help prevent a postman or woman suffering a
traumatic ordeal and sustaining life-changing injuries, and could prevent a dog
owner them self from being jailed. We want people to understand what the change
in the law means for them. We are working at many local community events
promoting responsible dog ownership and explaining the change in law to dog
owners. Simply keeping a dog under control and away from the front door could
help prevent a postman or woman suffering a traumatic ordeal and sustaining life
changing injuries, and could prevent a dog owner them self from being
prosecuted." |
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Police taken on Anti Social
Behabior of scrambler bikes, off road vehicles and quad bikes
ON Wednesday, 1 July 2015, officers are launched the
annual summer campaign to put the brakes on the criminal and anti social use of
scrambler bikes across Merseyside.
Operation Brookdale, will again centre on areas across Merseyside where
communities have suffered from the illegal and anti social use of scrambler
bikes, off road vehicles and quad bikes.
Superintendent Jenny Sims explained:- "Operation Brookdale focusses on
areas where communities have told us there is a problem with scrambler bikes.
With the arrival of light nights, there is a likelihood that riders of these
bikes may be tempted to ride them more often, causing further disruption and
misery to our communities and we just won’t tolerate it."
During the operation, officers will use a variety of tactics and pay particular
attention to roads, parks and any land to which the public have access to.
Neighbourhood officers in all of the force areas (Liverpool North, Liverpool
South, Wirral, Sefton, St Helens and Knowsley) will be supported by officers
from the specialist roads policing department, vehicle crime and the mounted and
dog sections.
During the operation the following activity will take place:-
► High visibility Police Patrols, including officers
on scramblers and quad bikes, on roads, parkland and other public spaces.
► Use of the National Police Air Service (helicopter) to act as an eye in the
sky and monitor the use of these bikes, wherever they be in areas inaccessible
to officers on foot on in a vehicle on the ground.
► Plain clothes patrols.
► The use of locally gathered intelligence to target places where illegal bikers
are known to ride.
► Enforcement of traffic law on the highway to restrict the activities of legal
riders on our roads.
► Education in the schools about the dangers of these bikes and the laws
surrounding their use.
► Visits to petrol stations by officers and PCSO's.
Superintendent Jenny Sims continued:- "Merseyside Police will not tolerate
the illegal, or anti social use of scrambler, or quad bikes, but we need the
public to tell us where these bikes are being stored and who is using them, so
we can take action and take these bikes out of circulation. Last year every
address the public told us about, was visited by officers. If you provide us, or
Crimestoppers information, about the use of these bikes, I can assure you, we
will take action. Sometimes the riders of these bikes don't understand the
consequences for local communities and the harm that the use of these bikes can
cause. In the wrong hands these bikes are potentially lethal and people need to
understand the potential consequences of driving these bikes irresponsibly.
Working together with local people and partner agencies, we are determined to
tackle riders who are blighting our neighbourhoods. Our communities should be
reassured that Merseyside Police is working hard to take nuisance vehicles and
the criminals who use them off our roads. Anyone who takes to the roads
illegally and poses a danger to pedestrians and other motorists on our roads,
risks losing their licence, their vehicle and if their reckless driving results
in injury or death they will face a prison sentence. My message to these people
is ask yourself; is it worth the risk?"
A local motorcyclist has been killed in a road
traffic collision in Southport
MERSEYSIDE Police confirmed the Raymond Mills, 73, from
Southport was involved in a serious road traffic collision in Southport and has
died as a result. Emergency services were called to Hart Street, at its junction
with Oak Street, at about 4.20pm, on Monday, 29 June, to reports a Honda
motorcycle and a silver BMW car had been in collision. The male motorcyclist was
taken to hospital, but later died from his injuries. The driver of the car, a 43
year old male, also from Southport, has been arrested on suspicion of causing
death by careless driving. Officers would ask anyone who was in the area at the
time who may have witnessed this incident to contact MSOC Roads Policing
Officers on:- 0151 777 5747 or Crimestoppers anonymously on:- 0800 555 111. |
