‘Bransholme is precious to me and I want to know I’ve made a difference’

‘IT’S A FANTASTIC COMMUNITY’: Sergeant Steve Hepworth. Pictures by Tom Arran Commercial Photography

By Simon Bristow

A police operation to tackle a seasonal spike in antisocial behaviour is under way in Bransholme.

Summer often sees a rise in bad behaviour and offending on the UK’s second biggest council estate.

But this year the officers who work this beat hope it will be different, with a detailed, thorough, and well-resourced plan in place that not only aims to nip problems in the bud, but to engage with perpetrators and steer them towards more constructive activities in the longer term.

An example of the issues they face came the night before The Hull Story visited the Bransholme Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), when a patrol car was attacked by youths throwing eggs and stones in Biggin Avenue.

But in an insight into how committed this NPT is, an officer who was in the car came straight off her nightshift to work the next morning to ensure the response was as effective as it could be – resulting in the prompt arrest of a teenager suspected of being involved.

This happened as we sat in the office of team leader, Sergeant Steve Hepworth, who paused our interview as his radio crackled into life and said: “Let’s just see if we locked up this kid.”

PREPARATION: Sergeant Steve Hepworth explaining his plans for a busy summer at Bransholme Police Station

“It’s a positive,” said the voice on the radio.

“Yes! Excellent news,” said Sgt Hepworth. “Was he alright?”

“Ish. I’ll discuss it with you later. I can’t talk at the moment.”

The sergeant’s naturally optimistic mood brightened further at the development, and he explained why such a swift response mattered.

“This is going to send out a very positive message to kids,” he said. “If you want to throw eggs and stones at our cars it’s game on. It’s unacceptable and dangerous.”

But it would be wrong the think enforcement is his sole concern. He is deeply invested in the community he serves, having worked in Bransholme for 12 years as a PC, and his affection for the people of the area is perhaps matched only by his passion for policing.

“The people are very dear to me,” he said. “Bransholme is very precious to me; it’s a great community. We’ve got a small amount of people who cause issues, but overall the community is fantastic. They are really caring, they all pull together, and the local councillors are outstanding.

“Bransholme is the second largest council estate in the UK and used to be the biggest in Europe. It’s huge. It comes with its issues because its big, it has quite high unemployment. I wouldn’t say it has high crime but higher than other areas which are affluent.

ON THE BEAT: The Hull Story out on patrol with Sergeant Steve Hepworth

“I don’t think there’s anywhere else in the city where you get that feeling of everyone coming together. They are very proud of coming from Bransholme, but there is antisocial behaviour and there is crime.”

The plan that has been put in place is Operation Thane, which has the backing of Humberside Police’s senior leadership team, and is part-funded by the office of the Deputy Chief Constable.

It was devised by Sgt Hepworth in meticulous detail, which is not surprising when you learn of his military background. He served in the army for 12 years, and had the distinction of being the second youngest British soldier in the First Gulf War in 1991.

He had just turned 18 and was in the Royal Corps of Transport, driving tank transporters across the desert with Challenger tanks on the back. He later served in the Intelligence Corps.

Explaining the rationale behind Op Thane, Sgt Hepworth said: “So we are going to be ahead of the game, getting up and ready to tackle the spike we always get in summer. This is built to tackle the historic escalation of crime and antisocial behaviour around two key areas of Bransholme – Biggin Avenue and surrounding streets, and North point Shopping Centre.

“It’s ages from ten to young adults who get involved in low level crime, shoplifting in North Point, and setting fires.”

He takes us to a footpath running between Biggin Avenue and Swinderby Garth, which forms one of the central spines of the estate. It is a favoured spot for troublemakers, as once police respond to an incident, those involved can quickly “bomb-burst” away from the scene into the maze of smaller paths on the estate to evade detection.

ENGAGEMENT: Sergeant Steve Hepworth talking to residents in Bransholme

The main path is made of block-paving, which has in places been ripped up to create a stash of missiles. The NPT would like it resurfaced to remove the possibility. The team also has two PCSOs trained to level three NVQ who are trying to “design-out crime”, such as recommending the removal of bushes which hinder policing of the area.

Sgt Hepworth points to an area of grass where wheelie bins were recently set on fire. Because of limited access to vehicles, firefighters could only get to the area in a 4 x 4, which was ransacked while they were putting the fires out.

It is this kind of incident Op Thane is designed to thwart.

IDYLLIC: Bransholme is home to a nature reserve in Noddle Hill

The operation has three strands - enforcement, community, and engagement.

Sgt Hepworth described the enforcement side as “very dynamic and very robust”, and “tackling it head-on”. He added: “Any problems we have seen we are out a minute after the incident’s happened.”

One of the key elements is intelligence, and a dedicated investigation team is in place to ensure tasking of nearly all incidents in the area is channelled into the Op Thane framework, where normally they may be picked up by other units in the force. Sgt Hepworth said: “We will take it before it goes to a different department, taking ownership of all incidents. They’ll be ringing up the crime desk, saying ‘We want that’.”

Another aspect of enforcement will be “really clear, proactive action days”, with the first promised to be “coming soon”. Sgt Hepworth said these would involve “going to clear hotspots with the means to do it – a drone camera with thermal imaging, drugs dogs all through summer – three or four [action days] a month”. He added: “When you’ve got a lot of cops together it’s really positive.”

HOTSPOT: The footpath between Biggin Avenue and Swinderby Garth that forms a central spine through the estate

The officers will have technical support, with access to cameras in the area and an operative in the central CCTV room directing those on the ground.

As many of those involved in antisocial behaviour know the uniformed PCs and PCSOs who work on the estate, a plainclothes team from elsewhere in the force will be on foot and bicycle to close the net once the perpetrators have been flushed out.

“We are going to be like spiders waiting for them and pouncing on them,” said Sgt Hepworth, smiling.

The operation will be supported by legislation, with a Section 35 Dispersal Order, authorised by an inspector, in place for 48 hours. These require people to leave an area and not return if they are suspected of getting involved in antisocial behaviour.

“It will be all the inner pillars working together, it’s been a real piece of work,” Sgt Hepworth said.

The community aspect is about building community resilience, which Sgt Hepworth believes is one of the core purposes of neighbourhood policing.

He said: “The role for me is about creating that environment from the police and that positive role with local communities, creating safe environments. For me it’s about making them resilient, educating them and also about them taking more of a responsibility so they become more vigilant and we get more calls for service.

LOCATION: Sergeant Steve Hepworth showing an area where youths have gathered to throw missiles at cars

“If you see something, just take a picture of it on your mobile phone. A lot of them don’t know who to call; whether it’s a council matter or a police matter. It’s also about building that really big rapport with our communities.”

Extending the estate’s number of Neighbourhood Watch groups is another means to this end.

The engagement strand is another vital part of neighbourhood policing, which Sgt Hepworth says has been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Covid has really had a negative impact for us because we always prided ourselves on having that ability to really engage with the kids,” he said. “When I was a PC I used to go out and play football with them, and we have lost that over the last two years. We have really struggled with engagement.

“With Covid we’ve lost that confidence and trust, and that’s not just here, it’s across the country.”

Some of those they will be dealing with may already be known to the team, and if they have been in trouble before it is likely they have been placed in one of three levels in a “tier” system, which seeks to manage their risk but also dictates what level of support they and their families will get.

Sgt Hepworth describes Tier One participants as “low-level hangers-on”, young people who would like something better to do, although he concedes “there’s a lot of them”. There is a structured response at each stage.

‘THIS IS WHAT WE’LL DO’: Sergeant Steve Hepworth describing plans for Operation Thane

Sgt Hepworth said: “We identify them at that Tier One stage and within 48 hours they’ve had a visit from the neighbourhood police team and the neighbourhood nuisance team. If they are a council tenant they can get a tenancy warning, if they are over 16 they can get a community protection warning. They also get information on support for parents and children.”

This intervention has proved successful. “Previously, there were 43 kids in Tier One, so 43 visits, and only three carried on with their behaviour,” the sergeant said.

Those who have had a warning in Tier One and continue fail to address their behaviour go into Tier Two, where they could be given an Acceptable Behaviour Contract, and their personal circumstances and background are mapped.

They will be the subject of a multi-agency meeting attended by their parents, police, the antisocial behaviour team, their school, and anyone else involved with them such as a football or rugby club, which Sgt Hepworth says is “a really key meeting”.

He said: “We are very clear – you are now at stage two, if this carries on this is what’s going to happen to you. We’ll give you all the support but you need to get your child in check.”

It’s a bespoke system and one he believes is unique to the team. Funding is available for support and each case gets a PC or PCSO dedicated to them.

Tier Three youths are “causing us the most problems”, although there are only a handful in that category. They typically are already involved with social care teams or the youth justice system. They are allocated a neighbourhood beat officer and an antisocial behaviour officer.

MOBILE: Explaining the geography of Bransholme

Sgt Hepworth said: “We’ll do disruption visits. They go to youth justice once a week; we are going to fill in the gaps. They are all on different curfew packages with the court. We’ve got them on different bail conditions to help us.”

There are also going to be real incentives for those who do manage to turn their lives around, with a rewards scheme and a panel meeting every six weeks to discuss nominated cases.

The outreach support around this will be spearheaded by Cornerhouse youth provision service and Hull City Council. Hull FC, Kingswood United FC, St John’s Church, Carlson Gracie MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) Club, and Paul Ingle Boxing Academy, are among those willing to help, with approaches also set to be made to Hull KR and Hull City.

The rewards are aimed at those in tiers one and two, and could also see winners going bowling, to the cinema, or rock climbing. “The young person comes and gets a reward and we’ll go with them to build that rapport,” Sgt Hepworth said.

For Sgt Hepworth personally, this work and Operation Thane are about leaving a positive legacy in Bransholme, and for his colleagues, as he will be retiring next year after a 20-year police career that has all been served at Humberside Police.

The decision, in part, is due to health problems he has recently had to contend with.

He said: “Two years ago I was diagnosed with Chron’s disease, and I have regular infusions at hospital, but I’ve not been [off] sick one day. I’m religiously sticking to my care plan. I was told in November by April you’ll have surgery if you don’t do what you’re told.

‘WE NEED TO REBUILD OUR RAPPORT WITH THE COMMUNITY AFTER COVID’: Sergeant Steve Hepworth

“It affects the joints and I’m a really keen runner. I’ve only just now after two years started running again.”

He added: “The force has been an absolute rock to me. I’ve had to change my shift patterns to only work standard early shifts. They leave it to me because they trust me. I can’t thank them enough, my supervisor and the senior leadership team. I’m so grateful.”

He can look back with pride on his and his team’s achievements, even before Op Thane begins to bear fruit.

He said “In 2019 our team were named Team of the Year for the force by the Chief Constable for work around burglaries and reducing crime in the area.”

And recently, he received a Chief Constable’s Commendation for going to the aid of a veteran who collapsed during last year’s annual Remembrance Parade and Service in Hull.

He said: “It was absolutely packed. I was in the background and this old chap collapsed next to me (one of two veterans who collapsed at the service). One stopped breathing and a doctor was nearby in uniform and did CPR.

AWARD: Sergeant Steve Hepworth, front left, receiving a Chief Constable’s Commendation

“Mine was having a heart attack. I was on my own, nobody could get to me, and the ambulance was going to take some time. He was crying ‘I’m dying’. At one point you could see he was turning blue, so I was ready to do CPR. I was just reassuring him. He survived.

“His daughter was in Nottingham. He kept saying ‘My daughter, my daughter’, so I rang her. She later wrote a letter to the force saying thank you. When he woke up he said thank you to whoever that officer was. We don’t get a lot of thanks, really, for what we do, so that was nice.”

Sgt Hepworth is so determined to uphold the standards he sets for himself that he will personally call victims of crime to ask if they have any feedback for the officer who dealt with them.

He said: “I’ve been in [police] for 20 years and it’s taught me to be patient, caring, and understanding, and to not suffer fools. I’m very approachable, but at times I can be impatient and I‘m aware of that. But I do expect us to do a super job because the public have a right to expect that.

“I always think if my mother was a victim of crime I would expect her to get a good service, and that’s how you should look at it.”

He is proud of the team he leads, and said of them: “They are very dynamic and the go above and beyond. They are outstanding officers and they don’t moan, they just get on with it. It can be hard but they just get stuck in and crack on with it. They are so motivated and they have got the supervision of myself and [Sgt] Andy Waller [based in Orchard Park] and our outstanding inspector, Jamie Campbell.”

POSITIVE: ‘I’m confident that by the end of summer we’ll have turned the tide’ - Sergeant Steve Hepworth at North Point Shopping Centre

Asked for his hopes for Operation Thane, Sgt Hepworth said: “I’m hoping that by the end of summer we’ll have turned the tide. Personally, I am really confident that we are going to do it and deliver that community safety out there and get the engagement back to where we were before Covid.”

As he begins to near the end of his service, Sgt Hepworth, who grew up on Orchard Park, wants his legacy to be positive change.

He said: “I want to be able to walk away and know I’ve put something in place so I am able to say I’ve made a difference. There was a sergeant when I joined and I remember him now, and that’s how I would like to be remembered.

“I’m passionate about policing, about my team and this community, but with my health condition it’s probably the right time to go.”

As for his plans for the future, Sgt Hepworth says he would like to become a volunteer for Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

“After 30 years in the uniforms of the army and police it looks like I’ll be going green again. I’m going to dedicate quite a lot of time to it.”