City centre Help Point proves its value with arrests and interventions

A new 24-hour Help Point introduced to make Nottingham city centre safer has already helped police make arrests, locate missing young people and respond to people in distress just weeks after becoming operational.

The CCTV Help Point, funded by Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden, connects people directly to Nottingham City Council’s CCTV control room at the touch of a button, allowing operators to see what is happening, provide reassurance and alert police when necessary.

Since becoming operational this summer, the system has been activated around a dozen times, for incidents ranging from robbery and assault to missing people and medical emergencies, demonstrating how the technology is providing an important additional safety net for people visiting the city centre.

In one incident on 1 September, a member of the public used the Help Point to report three young people on the roof of a building on Friar Lane.

CCTV operators monitored the group and alerted police, including passing on descriptions and updating officers on their movements when they left the roof.

The three were subsequently located by officers and arrested.

In another incident later that month, a young person approached the Help Point and told the operator he had been reported missing and had previously spoken to a police officer before his phone battery died.

The CCTV operator alerted police and continued monitoring him as he moved towards a nearby tram stop. Officers attended, located the young person and were able to return him home safely.

A separate activation involved another young person reported missing who used the Help Point after finding himself without the means to get home. Information was passed to police, who were able to identify him as a missing person and subsequently locate him at Beeston tram stop.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said: “Installing this Help Point was about giving people somewhere they could immediately turn when they feel unsafe, vulnerable or simply don’t know what to do and these incidents demonstrate exactly why that investment was needed.

“What particularly stands out is the range of situations it has already helped with. We’ve seen members of the public reporting crime, vulnerable and missing young people reaching out for help, people seeking assistance following assaults and CCTV operators being able to direct police towards incidents as they unfold.

“It is also a great example of how technology and partnership working can support frontline policing. The Help Point doesn’t replace police officers, but it gives the public a direct connection to trained CCTV operators who can assess what is happening, monitor incidents and get the right help to the right place.

“Most importantly, people are actually using it. Every time somebody presses that button because they need help, it demonstrates the value of listening to the public and investing in practical measures that can make our city centre safer.”

The Help Point has also helped police respond to suspected offending in the city’s night-time economy.

On 27 August, a woman used it to report a man at her venue who was refusing to pay. CCTV operators monitored the situation and police attended, with the man subsequently detained and taken away by officers.

During the early hours of 20 September, operators also dealt with a series of calls from a couple reporting that they had been assaulted and harassed.

Operators monitored the developing situation through CCTV and repeatedly communicated with police. When the couple contacted the Help Point again and CCTV showed another man chasing them, officers were directed to the scene and a man was arrested.

Other activations have included a young man reporting that he had been robbed, a report of a stolen mobile phone and a member of the public alerting operators to a collapsed man who potentially required medical attention.

City Commander Superintendent Chris Pearson said: "I am glad that the public are utilising the Angel Row help point when they are in need of immediate assistance.

"Women and girls were very clear with us as part of the Walk in My Shoes campaign that they felt the area needed better coverage and extra security.

"The help point can be used by anyone, as these highlighted incidents show, and we are glad that people know of its existence.

"While Angel Row is part of our ongoing police patrol plans, having a dedicated help point means we can capture people's safety concerns immediately.

"This will never replace policing in the area but is an additional tool to help us detect any incidents before they escalate."

"Councillor Matt Shannon, Executive Member for Community Protection, Neighbourhoods and Equalities, said: “When someone feels unsafe or needs urgent help, being able to speak directly to someone who can respond is vital. These incidents show how the Help Point is making that connection, helping people get support and enabling police to respond as situations unfold.

“Our CCTV operators play an important role in keeping Nottingham safe, often working behind the scenes. Their quick thinking, reassurance and close communication with police have been central to these responses, and I want to thank them for the work they do.

“We want everyone to feel confident spending time in our city centre. This is a practical example of how we’re working to support people when they need us and make Nottingham safer.”

The Help Point was introduced after more than 3,600 people responded to Nottinghamshire Police’s Walk In My Shoes survey, supported by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, which asked women and girls where they wanted to see additional safety measures.

Funding was approved by PCC Gary Godden through the Home Office Hot Spot Action Fund, with the four-metre-tall Help Point providing a direct intercom connection to Nottingham City Council’s CCTV control room alongside a rotating CCTV camera and highly visible flashing blue light.

It forms part of a wider network of measures designed to improve safety and confidence in Nottingham city centre and supports the work of Operation Reclaim, which brings partners together to tackle some of the issues having the greatest impact on residents, visitors and businesses.

As previously reported, one of the first people to use the Help Point was a woman who contacted the CCTV control room in the early hours of 8 August because she believed she was being followed by a man.

Police were immediately alerted, located both the woman and the man, carried out checks and ensured the woman reached a place of safety.

The growing number of subsequent activations is now providing further evidence of how the Help Point can act as an immediate connection between people who need assistance, the city’s CCTV network and the emergency services.