Hotspot policing crackdown has growing impact
A new pilot scheme to tackle serious violence and antisocial behaviour in “hotspot” locations across Nottinghamshire led to 29 arrests in just over two months after launching.
Officers also carried out 37 stop and searches and used antisocial behaviour powers 34 times during their increased patrols.
It comes after the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire received £1.5m to bolster the force’s response to serious violence and antisocial behaviour during this financial year.
The scheme is also aimed at increasing uniform visibility – from both the police and local authorities - on the streets of Nottinghamshire and improving trust and confidence in communities where these issues are more prevalent.
The figures for arrests, stop searches and use of antisocial behaviour powers have shown a steady increase each month since the scheme launched in late April to the end of June - and they are expected to grow further as the action embeds.
This is in addition to the regular policing that happens as standard in communities across Nottinghamshire.
Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said: “Serious violence and antisocial behaviour can have a huge impact on people’s quality of life so it’s great that we can use this funding to target extra support in the communities where it is needed most.
“This increased uniform presence will not only allow more perpetrators to be brought to justice, but it will also give communities greater reassurance that their neighbourhoods are becoming safer.”
The initiative, which will run until 2025, will see officers spend two hours in the proximity of one area before moving onto another. This is based on academic studies from the College of Policing which shows that frequent and short patrols are most effective at reducing crime.
The hotspot patrols enable officers to focus solely on engaging with the public and addressing any problems businesses or residents may raise to them whilst they are out.
In the long term the scheme will help lower reports of antisocial behaviour through having more officers operating in peak times within each hotspot area.
The investment will also fund partner patrols from local authority staff such as community safety wardens and Business Improvement District (BID) patrol staff.
Areas will benefit from investment into problem solving activity as well as dedicated youth outreach work for areas that have particularly high levels of antisocial behaviour.
The areas in the city which are benefitting from the hotspot patrols are the Old Market Square, Lace Market, the Forest Recreation Ground, Hyson Green, St Ann’s Well Rd, River Green, Bulwell Town Centre, Top Valley and Denewood.
The areas in the county where hotspot patrols are being targeted are Hucknall East, Sutton East, Arnold Town Centre, Eastwood South, Worksop North/North East, Mansfield Town Centre, Portland, Newark Castle and Magnus and Devon wards.
Superintendent Heather Maelor, head of the Prevention Hub at Nottinghamshire Police and project lead, said: “Tackling antisocial behaviour and serious violence is a priority for the force.
“It is important that we demonstrate to our communities in a very visible way through increased uniformed patrols that antisocial behaviour and serious violence are treated seriously and with urgency.
“We are implementing effective measures via our prevention, engagement, and safeguarding teams to reduce criminal activity and address these concerns that directly affect people’s quality of life.
“I am pleased to see a steady increase in enforcement action as a direct result of these proactive and targeted patrols, which I hope provides reassurance to our communities across Nottinghamshire.”