SAFER NIGHTS OUT
The ‘It Only Takes One’ campaign includes an extensive programme of safety projects, including CCTV and help points on
the Racecourse, Becket’s Park, All Saints Plaza and Abington Street. Car parks at the Racecourse, Midsummer Meadow and
the University of Northampton now have Park Mark security. Here are some of the key safety programmes we are rolling
out.
StreetSafe is an anonymous online service where you can identify on a map where you’ve felt unsafe. This could be due to
environmental issues (e.g. street lighting, abandoned buildings, or vandalism) or because of other people’s behaviour (e.g.
being followed or verbally abused). The data gathered through StreetSafe allows the police force to better understand
local concerns and make informed decisions on improving public safety. Although open to everyone, StreetSafe is a key
part of local and national efforts to tackle violence against women and girls.
Please note: StreetSafe is not for reporting crime or incidents.
You’ll find the Safer Nights Out (SNO) van in Northampton town centre every Friday and Saturday between 10pm and 5am.
It’s staffed by groups of well-vetted volunteers, and can provide people with shelter, warmth, basic first aid and emotional
support, as well as phone charge top ups to help people contact friends and relatives.
There are a wide variety of volunteers, chiefly from Northampton Guardians and Northampton Street Pastors. They can
be found at the van itself and around Northampton on the lookout for people who might need help.
Operation Kayak is a safeguarding initiative launched by Northamptonshire Police.
Officers involved in Operation Kayak aim to improve night time safety by looking out for and intervening to stop
potentially predatory behaviour, including loitering, leering, following lone and/or vulnerable individuals, harassment, and
sexual violence.
Operation Kayak officers are deployed within the town centre, and in the first four months of the operation, stopped just
under 80 incidents, and safeguarded more than 130 people.
Shout-Up! is a campaign aimed at making bars, clubs, pubs, and other venues harassment-free zones.
Shout-Up! venues commit to providing managerial and supervisory staff with bystander intervention training, and require
all other staff to complete an online training course.
These venues are required to create and implement a sexual harassment policy with input from the Shout-Up! team, and to
publicly acknowledge that they’re a Shout-Up! Venue.
The Licensing Security & Vulnerability Initiative (SAVI) is a new accreditation & Policing Award for security and safety.
SAVI accreditation includes venues having measures in place to protect staff and customers, and a requirement to identify
and safeguard vulnerable individuals.
Venues can complete a self-assessment questionnaire to get a report indicating areas where the safety measures in their
venue are excelling and where there may be room for improvement.
A ‘Safer Route’ has been created across Becket’s Park from the town centre towards the Waterside campus. It is well lit and
signposted, with help points you can buzz for a live response should you feel vulnerable.
