New local priorities set for Stevenage

Over the past few months, Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs) across Stevenage have been working hard to tackle their local policing priorities - the issues that residents said were causing them the most concern.

NPTs work alongside partner agencies, including Stevenage Borough Council, to focus on solving long and short-term neighbourhood issues, such as anti-social behaviour (ASB), theft, speeding and drug-related crime.

The three NPT teams in Stevenage set local policing priorities every four months, providing a specific focus on the issues that residents have raised through surveys, and an analysis of other data.

The dedicated teams of PCs and PCSOs will work alongside partners to tackle the issues, through an increased police presence, engagement events and targeted enforcement.

The newly set priorities for the district are:

Central Stevenage

• Continue to tackle ASB focusing on urban exploring and drunk and disorderly behaviour in the town centre.
• Continue to prioritise tackling drug use in the Bedwell and Pin Green area.
• Reducing retail crime in the town centre.

North Stevenage

• Speed enforcement in Canterbury Way, North Road and Vardon Road, with patrols also targeting e-scooters use in Symonds Green and Canterbury Way.
• Drugs and related issues in all north wards, but specifically in Wisden Road, Vardon Road, Fairview Road, Meadway and North Road.
• Continue to work to tackle theft from motor vehicles with a primary focus in the Old Town Ward, but extending across all North Wards.

South Stevenage

• Proactively target drug hotspots.
  • Identify and prevent annual anti-social behaviour winter spikes.

Whilst there will be a focus on the local priorities, officers will continue to respond to daily business as usual, as well as forcewide priorities and any emerging issues which require more immediate action.

Alongside the NPT, Stevenage is also policed by officers who respond to emergency calls, a team of detectives who investigate crimes such as burglary, robbery and assault, and specialist units who work to tackle issues such as acquisitive crime and domestic abuse. In addition, they can call on officers from central teams which work countywide.

Inspector Will Rogers-Overy, who leads the Stevenage NPT, said: “Thank you to everybody who took the time to share their views. In some cases, priorities will remain the same in areas until we are satisfied the issue has been dealt with.

“My officers will now be working hard to tackle these latest priorities and we’ll be sharing regular updates on Herts Connected and the Stevenage Police Facebook page. Please do sign up and follow us to keep up-to-date. We look forward to sharing our progress with you and keeping the borough safe.”

Previous priorities

Below is an overview of work that was carried out to tackle the previous set of priorities.

During the last period the following issues were addressed:

Central Stevenage

• Regular patrols of the town centre were carried out to address ASB during the summer. The ASB officer and partner agencies have visited to address issues. In addition to this the continuation of Operation Scoot to tackle the illegal use of e-scooters has been in place. Various arrests for shoplifting and breaches of orders have also been recorded with several people being charged and dealt with at court.
• Regular patrols have been conducted to tackle drug use, and supply, in the public spaces such as the town centre gardens and Hampson Park. Officers engaged with staff at the Hampson Park Community Centre.

North Stevenage

• Speeding operations have been conducted in Canterbury Way, North Road and Vardon Road, this continues as a priority.
• Street meets with residents and patrols have taken place to tackle drugs and related issues in north wards.
• Operation Vamplate has seen cadets give words of advice to vehicle owners whose vehicles were found to be unsecure in North Stevenage. In addition, a man has also been arrested on suspicion of theft from motor vehicles in the area.

South Stevenage

• Officers have liaised with businesses in a bid to tackle retail crime and support local outlets.
• Targeted patrols have taken place with e-bikes and e-scooters seized from riders found to be using them unlawfully and antisocially on public roads and pavements.

As well as the NPT, Stevenage is also policed by response officers who respond to emergency calls, and detectives in CID who investigate crimes such as burglary, robbery and assault. In addition, we can utilise officers from central teams which work countywide and include our dedicated sexual offences team, child protection teams and domestic abuse team.

To take part in our priority setting surveys and to keep up to date with what is happening in Stevenage you can join the ‘Herts Connected’ community messaging service. Sign up for free at Herts Connected.