Big reductions in reports of ASB in part of Cumbria
Extra hours of police patrols have been put on in South Lakes
Police officers are cutting antisocial behaviour in the county by working hundreds of extra hours on the streets of Cumbria as part of Operation Enhance – including in South Lakes.
Operation Enhance sees extra police patrols in areas identified as hotspots for anti-social behaviour and/or serious violence across the county.
£1 million of extra funding was secured by Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner from the Government’s Hotspot Response Fund to target anti-social behaviour (ASB) and serious violence in hotspot areas across the county.
The operation sees extra patrols in 18 areas identified by statistical analysis as the county's hotspot areas of anti-social behaviour and serious violence. These areas include areas of Kendal, Ulverston and Bowness.
Three months in and Operation Enhance has so far resulted in 12 arrests, 24 stop and searches and 76 intel submissions from the public – in the Furness / South Lakes area alone.
In the South Lakes area, figures currently indicate that there has been a reduction in reported ASB by 35% (compared to the previous year).
Inspector Ross Woods, South Lakes Neighbourhood Policing Team said:
“Our officers and PCSOs will continue to patrol the hotspot areas identified within South Lakes to prevent and target those responsible for serious violence and criminal behaviour.
“I’d also like to encourage residents to continue to report such behaviour to us. This is really important as it will help us build up a precise picture of where there are persistent problems within our neighbourhoods.”
Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen, said:
“One of my key pledges during my election was, and remains, tackling anti-social behaviour and it is a priority for the public as well – highlighted to me via my Police, Fire and Crime Plan consultation.
“The £1m of extra funding has provided Cumbria Constabulary with the ability to target, tackle and prevent ASB and serious violence more effectively by getting more officers out on the streets in these identified hotspot areas.
“A reduction of ASB by 35% in the South Lakes area is an incredible result and with months left of the Operation, I am positive we will see this continue to fall.
“Whilst the results, so far, are nothing short of fantastic, and show the value of an intelligent approach to tackling crime and disorder, neither I nor the Constabulary are going to rest on our laurels.
"I will continue to hold the Constabulary to account to ensure we keep seeing positive results, great delivery and very visible policing as a part of Operation Enhance.
"My aim is to ensure that we continue to build safer communities across Cumbria."