High quality police glasses set to make Hull safer
Tuesday, 27 May, 2008
HUMBERSIDE Police and partner agencies are helping Hull public houses and clubs replace glasses by launching super safe high quality polycarbonate glasses.
They are being introduced following research which suggests that they can reduce glassing assaults considerably. Other schemes across the country have seen a fall in serious glass related incidents of 91.5%.
In Hull over the last two years there have been 99 glass related incidents (not including bottles), 52 of these occurred in the city centre, Beverley Road or Witham. As a result pubs and clubs in these hotspot areas are being targeted with the polycarbonate glasses.
The scheme will work by offering pubs and clubs in the three identified areas the incentive of having at least 20% of current glass stock upgrade to polycarbonate for free.
There will be an application scheme for pubs and clubs outside the three areas.
The aim is for pubs and clubs to work towards 90% of all their stock being polycarbonate by December 2008 through the natural wastage of old glasses.
It is hoped that the introduction of the high quality glasses will almost eradicate glassing incidents in Hull.
In total 32,000 pint glasses and 16,000 half pint glasses have been ordered for pubs and clubs in the Hull City Centre and the surrounding area and paid for with One Hull funding.
It is believed that the cost of the glasses will be recuperated through real savings to the police, partner agencies and the people of Hull.
When someone gets attacked with a glass it comes at a huge cost to the victim and their families, but also to the police and its partners.
Inspector Chris Shepherdson, from Humberside Police, said: "When you include the costs of our partner agencies like the Health Service alongside the policing, the financial costs are massive and are being paid for by the people of Hull.
"Financial costs aside though; the primary objective is to reduce those seriously injured by glassings. You cannot put a monetary figure on the impact of those people injured, however what is certain is that they will be paying for the unnecessary injury caused to them throughout their lives."
The polycarbonate glasses are not only safer they are also more durable lasting up to 4 times longer than glass, due to being virtually unbreakable which with mean less breakages, fewer replacement costs and less time cleaning up smashed glass.
Other advantages of the new glasses are that they stack and have insulating qualities that will keep drinks cooler.
The scheme was launched to over 60 licensees on Monday 19 May 2008 at the Hull City Guild Hall, during which the scheme was presented by Superintendent Ian Furlong followed by distribution of the high quality polycarbonate glasses.
