More than 12,000 hours of additional police patrols carried out under Operation Hotspot

More than 12,000 hours of additional patrols have been carried out and 157 arrests have been made as part of an initiative to tackle anti-social behaviour and serious violence in hotspot areas across Hertfordshire.

Operation Hotspot was launched in May this year, after £1m worth of Government funding was secured following a bid by the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office.

The funding is providing extra foot patrols and increased visibility, on top of normal daily business, targeting specific areas which have been identified as crime and anti-social behaviour hotspots through an analysis of police data.

It has led to multiple arrests being made, offenders being jailed, weapons being recovered and ASB powers being utilised. In some hotspot areas, anti-social behaviour has reduced by up to 50 per cent.

Herts Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Ash-Edwards said: “More visible and responsive policing is tackling anti-social behaviour and disorder in our communities. This is what residents in Hertfordshire have told me they want to see, and this is what Operation Hotspot is delivering.

“Our £1m commitment to Operation Hotspot is leading to more arrests and taking criminals off the streets. Frontline officers on high visibility patrols are deterring and catching people committing offences, as well as boosting engagement with residents and businesses. I’m really grateful for all their efforts, above and beyond their usual duties, to make our communities safer.”

The patrols are being carried out by officers and PCSOs on top of their normal working hours. In some areas, additional patrols are also being conducted by Community Enforcement Officers to provide further visibility.

Since May:

• 12,212 hours of additional police patrols have been carried out
• 1,457 additional patrols have been conducted
• 157 arrests have been made
• 297 stop searches have been carried out
• 22 weapons have been recovered
• Anti-social behaviour powers* have been utilised 705 times.

As part of the project, additional crime prevention initiatives have also been funded, including:

• CCTV upgrades
• Weapons detection systems
• New signage detailing police powers around anti-social behaviour
• DNA tagging spray
• Security marking kits for mobile phones

Further initiatives will be introduced in the coming weeks.

Detective Chief Inspector Alex Willcox, who is leading the project, said: “Members of the public frequently tell us they want to see officers patrolling the streets more often. Operation Hotspot has allowed us to do just that. The project has yielded some excellent results over the past few months and the patrols are continuing.”

Following an analysis of data, the project is running in the following areas: Bishop’s Stortford, Hertford, Hitchin, St Albans, Rickmansworth, South Oxhey, Borehamwood, Watford, Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City and Waltham Cross.

* Including dispersal orders, Community Protection Warnings/Notices and Public Space Protection Orders.