Scheme to help people with learning disabilities keep themselves safe re-launched in Watford

Keep Safe invites retailers, businesses and public services and community services to provide people with learning disabilities a place to make a phone call in emergencies.

The scheme, run in partnership with learning disabilities charity Herts People First, marks premises signed up with an orange Keep Safe sticker, and people with learning disabilities carry an emergency phone number.

Keep Safe was launched with speeches from chief inspector for Watford, Dave Wheatley, Mayor Dorothy Thornhill and Jane Dellow from Herts People First.

Stickers have already been displayed in Lakeland, Accessorize, and The Perfume Shop. 

Staff from intu Watford and the library also received training about the scheme.

Chief inspector Dave Wheatley said: "The Keep Safe Scheme in Watford was first launched in the town many years ago and, as part of the Constabulary’s recent drive to increase schemes across the county, we felt it was a good time to refresh the training and raise awareness amongst the town centre shops and community in Watford.

"This is such an important scheme and means that there are lots of places people with learning disabilities can go if they need to get support and help, whether it be to ask for a police officer if they have been a victim of, or witnessed a crime, or assistance from another emergency service."

Keep Safe co-ordinator for Herts People First, Jane Dellow, said: "People with learning disabilities really like the Keep Safe community safety scheme - they say how reassuring it is for them to know where they can get help and support if need be and that their local community, business and services are so welcoming of the scheme."

Elected mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill, said: "I believe it is important for everyone that they enjoy the town and feel it is a safe place to visit. We are working to make it even better, even safer and all the people here today are working to achieve this. Keep Safe is a really positive scheme, thank you to everyone involved."

Retailers, businesses and public services interested in helping to introduce Keep Safe premises in their local areas should visit the Keep Safe pages on the Hertfordshire Constabulary website at www.herts.police.uk/keepsafe. Alternatively call your local Safer Neighbourhood Team via the police non-emergency number 101.