New funding to deliver 12,000 extra hours of uniformed patrols to reduce anti-social behaviour across Avon and Somerset

Avon and Somerset Police, in collaboration with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and local authorities, are increasing patrols across the force area to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) after receiving dedicated funding from the Home Office.

From May 2024 onwards, the operation will see uniformed police officers, PCSOs and partner agencies working thousands of hours of additional patrols, engaging with members of the public and businesses, and disrupting the activity of ASB perpetrators.

Whether classified as criminal behaviour or not, persistent ASB can have a devastating impact on individuals and communities, this proactive approach is part of the government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan. The plan puts forward “an ambitious new approach to working with local agencies to tackle anti-social behaviour across England and Wales”.

Uniformed patrols targeting ASB have already been piloted by 10 police services nationwide and achieved positive results. For example, ASB fell by 38.5 per cent across Essex in a 12-month period with 9,416 fewer offences recorded. This statistic was published in February 2024.

Partnership working will be vital to address the biggest ASB challenges within our communities – different agencies deal with different types of ASB, and intelligence shared between the police, local authorities, social housing associations and early intervention teams can help build a bigger picture of the main issues across locations.