Police promote new online reporting tool to help make streets safer

You can report areas of Lincolnshire where you feel less safe on the Street Safe tool.

You can anonymously drop a pin on the online map where behaviour or environment might make you uncomfortable. The force pledges to then make sure local policing teams are aware.

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “This is a Government pilot that we are supporting and signposting people to. We analyse the data and make sure our local teams are aware of it, and can pay necessary attention to areas that are flagged up.”

It comes at a time of heightened anxiety about women’s safety on the streets after the murder of Sarah Everard and locally a woman was assaulted while walking late at night on Mareham Pastures in Sleaford in July, leading to a protest march and formation of a women’s safety group. As yet no one has been charged with this offence.

StreetSafe is for anyone to anonymously tell police about public places where you have felt or feel unsafe, because of environmental issues, eg street lighting, abandoned buildings or vandalism and/or because of some behaviours, such as being followed or verbally abused. Just go to: police.uk/streetsafe

The government makes clear StreetSafe is not for reporting crime or incidents.

StreetSafe is anonymous, which means the police will not be able to investigate and contact you about what happened.

If something has happened to you or someone you know (including in public spaces online) you can call 101 or find out what online reporting services are available.