1 week Ago By Michael Knowles
Police chiefs will finally “guarantee” regular patrols during the busiest periods in town centres and high-crime areas. Officers will be given new training to spot signs of antisocial behaviour and “engage with communities and build relationships” to help gather intelligence. It comes amid fears officers have “disappeared” as street crime and antisocial behaviour skyrocketed.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to unveil the plan on Thursday and warn that anti-social behaviour can lead to more serious offences, such as violent crime. A dedicated anti-social behaviour lead in every force is expected to develop tailored action plans with residents and businesses. Sir Keir said ahead of Thursday’s announcement: “Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure on the streets they call home.
“It is just about the most basic right that anyone would expect. “Yet for years, crimes such as shoplifting and antisocial behaviour have wreaked havoc on our neighbourhoods. “Policing has become reactive, picking up the pieces after crimes have occurred.
“Britain deserves better. It should not matter where you live – everyone deserves local, visible policing they can trust, and with our neighbourhood policing guarantee, we will end this postcode lottery, putting prevention back at the heart of policing and ensuring police are back on the streets. “That’s why our plan for change is delivering security for working people in their communities with a return to neighbourhood policing, putting thousands of bobbies back on the beat and keeping people safe.
" Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The heartbeat of our great British policing tradition is seeing bobbies on the beat, but for too long, too many communities have been feeling abandoned as crime soared and neighbourhood police disappeared, even when local crimes like shop theft, street theft or blatant drug dealing rose sharply." Chief Constable Sir Andy Marsh, chief executive of the College of Policing, said: “We also know how important neighbourhood policing is to the public. That’s why, this June, we’ll be rolling out the Neighbourhood Policing Pathway training for neighbourhood officers and staff in police forces right across the country.
“Our training will ensure these teams have the specialised knowledge and skills to tackle antisocial behaviour, engage with communities and build relationships that support intelligence gathering and crime reduction. “We will also continue to use our position as a national source of best practice to help forces to constantly improve how they approach neighbourhood policing.” Labour has pledged to put 13,000 more officers into neighbourhood policing roles by 2029.
The victims’ commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, said: “I welcome the return of dedicated neighbourhood policing and the introduction of named ASB leads in each area. “Persistent antisocial behaviour blights lives and communities, and these new roles will be vital in ensuring victims’ concerns are taken seriously by officers they know and trust. “Some of the most harmful and enduring antisocial behaviour takes place in residential communities – away from the town centres and out of sight.
“The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee has real potential, but its impact will depend on trained officers who have the support and skills to be able to respond to every report – whether from a busy high street or a quiet cul-de-sac.”.
