Local Policing Priorities confirmed for Stevenage

Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs) across Stevenage have now set their policing priorities for the coming months.

NPTs work alongside partners to focus on solving long and short-term neighbourhood issues, such as anti-social behaviour, theft, speeding and drug-related crime. They also support intervention (response) officers and the Scorpion Team where required, with warrants and drug operations.

Through the analysis of data, including feedback from local residents, the NPTs set policing priorities every four months, to provide a specific focus on the issues which are currently causing the most concern to residents locally.

Through an increased police presence, engagement events and targeted enforcement, residents in Stevenage will see their dedicated team of PCs and PCSOs working alongside partners to address the agreed priorities below and much work has already been done to tackle them:

Central Stevenage

• Police visibility in Bedwell and Pin Green to support the Build a Better Bedwell initiative

We did: Officers have been working with local partners to improve the Bedwell area, driving out organised crime linked to drug dealing and working with the community to improve the area and ‘Build a Better Bedwell’. Increased patrols have been carried out to detect and deter criminal activity and ASB, in partnership with Stevenage Borough Council, and local officers have supported numerous community events.

Anti-social Behaviour (ASB)

We did: We continue to conduct high visibility patrols in the town centre focusing on local policing operations, crime reduction initiatives, illegal use of e-scooters and other activity to tackle nuisance ASB and purse-dipping offences.

 

South Stevenage

• Tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the area between The Willows and Broadwater Crescent.

We did: We have carried out high visibility ‘Hotspot Patrols’ in these areas to deter and identify offenders, which has resulted in a reduction of reports of ASB in those areas.

• Tackle vehicle nuisance in Lytton Way.

We did: 34 e-scooters were seized across Stevenage last year. We have been conducting regular speeding patrols with numerous traffic offences reported and vehicles seized for various offences.

• Tackle reports of illegal drug use across the area.

We did: Working with the Operation Scorpion team your local officers have carried out numerous warrants and drugs seizures which have resulted in arrests and prosecutions.

 

North Stevenage

• Tackle drug related anti-social behaviour in and around The Oval and Martins Wood

We did: We have carried out additional high visibility foot patrols under Operation Hotspot in the Old Town High Street and Oval shopping precincts, as well as operations in The St Nicholas and Martins Woods area, to target drug dealing and associated ASB.  This has resulted in several arrests including seizure of weapons and drugs and the seizure of e-scooters, resulting in prosecutions for no insurance.

We are targeting mopeds used in pedestrian areas and parkland, but more detailed information is needed to identify vehicles and riders.

• Tackle vehicle-related nuisance behaviour including anti-social driving and speeding in the area.

We did: We have carried out numerous speed enforcement operations and these will continue.

Neighbourhood Inspector for Stevenage, William Rogers-Overy said: “Whilst there will be a focus on the local priorities, officers will also continue to respond to daily business as usual, as well as force-wide priorities and any emerging issues which require more immediate action.

“We would like to thank everyone who responded to our priority setting survey and would encourage local residents to continue to provide feedback about issues in their area.

“Stevenage is also policed by Intervention officers who respond to emergency calls, the Local Crime Unit which investigates the more serious crimes such as burglary, robbery and assault, and specialist units such as Operation Scorpion who work to tackle acquisitive crime. In addition, we can utilise officers from central teams which work countywide.”

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