Safer Streets - Stevenage

Safer Street funding in Stevenage is being used to support a major new partnership initiative between Hertfordshire Constabulary, Stevenage Borough Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office aimed at reducing crime and creating a safer Bedwell.

Alongside the implementation of another government initiative called ‘Clear, Hold, Build’, the ‘Safer Streets’ project is helping police and partners locally to take a robust approach to reducing drugs, anti-social behaviour and violent crime in the Bedwell area of Stevenage.

Renamed by children from local primary school - Brooms Barnes - as ‘Build a Better Bedwell’, the initiatives seek to ‘clear’ an area of drugs and neighbourhood crime through proactive warrants and arrests; prevent further criminality during the ‘hold’ phase; and ‘build’ the area over the longer-term with the community, introducing sustainable target hardening measures.

Since May 2023, Hertfordshire Constabulary have executed more than 11 warrants and arrested more than 50 people in connection with drug crime in the Bedwell area, disrupting 11 county lines. Following this, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire secured £765,000 in funding from the Home Office’s fund together with matched funded contributions from local partners, to roll out a range of measures including upgrading CCTV, installing secure by design door entry systems and garage defenders.

The funding will also see Harrow and Brent Court high rise flats supported with new Community Wardens during the daytime and patrols from a private patrol company Parkguard, during the night-time to tackle drug dealing, violence and vagrancy. These high visibility patrols will ensure relevant information and intelligence is gathered and used to support the local policing team and Stevenage Borough Council to improve measures for residents living in the target area and surrounding streets.

In support of the funding application, officers from the Stevenage Neighbourhood Policing team visited all the flats in Harrow, Brent and High Plash Courts to understand residents’ concerns regarding crime, ASB and quality of life issues. A survey targeting the young people who live and use the area was also issued and promoted through youth groups and local schools to hear the voice of young people.

Safer Streets funding will also see the charity - Sports Traider, set up a sports shop locally, to support Bedwell and give young people the opportunity to participate in sport and divert from the lure of county lines.