As in many cities, anti-social behaviour is a key issue for the residents of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Safe Newcastle, Newcastle's community safety partnership (CSP), prioritises anti-social behaviour and facilitates multi-agency efforts to reduce the impact of anti-social behaviour (ASB) on communities through delivery in a partnership between agencies and communities. A survey prior to the police and crime commissioner (PCC) elections showed anti-social behaviour to be the top concern for communities and the main measure by which the impact of the PCC would be judged. By working in partnership with CSPs, PCCs can align the resources of other agencies to tackle this crucial issue.
Here, Safe Newcastle's ASB Coordinator Jan Kelly describes some of the successful activity Newcastle has undertaken to tackle anti-social behaviour across the city.
A huge amount of work has been done by the partnership in the last year regarding tackling disorder throughout the City. The Darker Nights campaign (incorporating Operation Brigid) tackled disorder in October/November including the busy bonfire-night period. This was run throughout the city, as was the multi-dimensional Safer Summer Streets campaign – which has now become the Safer Streets campaign. These campaigns brought together a number of elements including the following:
- Alcohol watch – involving the marking of bottles in order to show from where they had been purchased and reduce sales to underage drinkers.
- Partnership working between trading standards and the police staff to target off-licence sales to underage drinkers.
- The enforcement of Designated Public Places Orders preventing alcohol consumption in designated parts of the City.
- Seizures of alcohol from underage drinkers.
- The use of graded responses to young people involved in ASB including taking offenders home, letters to parents, tenancy enforcement and prosecutions.
- Rapid responses to areas which have become targets for youth ASB.
ASBOs have also been used successfully this year and SNAPS (Safe Neighbourhoods Action and Problem Solving) and SAPS (Stand Alone Problem Solving) problem solving approaches have led to successes. These include Operation Rife, which targeted problems with youth ASB in the Denton area.
A real drive has been made throughout the city regarding ensuring the effective management of alcohol licences (both on and off licences). We have worked in partnership to ensure that, where there are any new licences, applications to amend existing licences or Temporary Events Notices applied for, crime and disorder in the areas together with the views of the community have been carefully considered. Where the granting of such applications would be likely to lead to increased crime and disorder then the applications have been opposed (often leading to their withdrawal or refusal).
A great deal of work has also been done regarding reducing ASB committed by our student population. This work has included:
Operation Oak
We have successfully run Operation Oak (additional officers on high visibility foot and vehicle patrols) combating late-night disorder up until 4.00 am weekdays and 5.00 am at weekends. This operation has recently been reviewed with a more focused response on days of the week when the disorder is most likely to occur. This tactic, while effective, has now been enhanced with preventative engagement patrols.
Preventative engagement patrols
These patrols run from 8.00 pm each day in the main footfall areas of Jesmond, where Jesmond neighbourhood beat managers, PCSOs and ‘Specials' engage with students before they begin their evening's ‘social activities', warning them of zero tolerance in relation to night noise, ASB and crime matters. Key messages are delivered. There is a specific brief and debrief and the tasking of officers is changed to match current trends.
The ASB Early Intervention system
This system shows a repeated success, with 80 per cent of students subject to a first warning not re-offending. Problem households are identified, re-visits made and positive action taken with regard to monitoring and enforcement action where appropriate (including s80 Abatement notices). The partnership with the night noise team, Safe Newcastle and universities works well with a joined-up approach to combating student related ASB. Multi-agency visits take place to the previous academic year's problem houses where acceptable behaviour agreements have been issued. This is to warn students of their geographic context and the impact any ASB may have on the community as a result of of previous problems. Additionally, the partnership organise visits to halls of residence identified as being previously problematic to warn of the consequences of anti-social behaviour.
Working in this manner, Safe Newcastle is able to coordinate efforts with Northumbria Police and other agencies to reduce ASB. This has an impact on other crime types, with 1,784 fewer offences across the city in the past year, including 816 fewer incidents of criminal damage.
For more information on the work of Safe Newcastle, visit www.safenewcastle.org.uk