Commissioner’s Safer Town Centre initiative reduces crime across Hertfordshire

Commissioner’s Safer Town Centre initiative reduces crime across Hertfordshire

At the beginning of July, the Police and Crime Commissioner launched his Safer Town Centre initiative across Hertfordshire. The key objectives of the campaign were to make towns and parks across Hertfordshire safer; to build community confidence; and to bring together police, local councils, trading standards, charities and other groups to deliver a partnership approach to crime prevention and community safety.

The Commissioner reported the results to the Police and Crime Panel at their meeting on 20th November, but the key highlights of success are:

· Through our Op Hotspot programmes, the constabulary delivered over 3,000 hours of visible police foot patrol in Hertfordshire per month.

· Recorded incidents of anti-social behaviour in Hertfordshire are down over 10% in the most recent 12 months compared to the previous year.

· We’ve seen a 6% reduction in overall crime across town centres.

· We’ve seen 28% reduction in criminal damage and 50% fewer public order offences.

· Across all town centres, we saw a 6% reduction in theft shoplifting, meaning 144 fewer offences in our shops and businesses.

· We set up the Herts Against Retail Crime group bringing retailers and the police together to combat retail crime across the county.

· There were 13% fewer business burglary reports, meaning shops were safer and retail staff less at risk.

 

· We received 66% fewer reports of cycle theft, an issue often of concern for local residents.

 

· We also had a 5% increase in possession of drugs offences.

 

· And in our follow up survey, the people of Hertfordshire say we’re more visible as a result of the work that we’ve done

The Police and Crime Commissioner spent the summer months with police officers, council staff and voluntary groups looking at a range of initiatives across the county.

This included mounted police in Cassiobury park in Watford, accompanying officers on specific targeted operations to tackle persistent shoplifting in Three Rivers, going out on patrols specifically targeting escooters in Hertsmere, visiting youth initiatives giving our young people something to do over the summer months in Waltham Cross, attending shop closures and raids of shops selling illegal vapes blighting our high streets in Royston and Bishop Stortford, giving out awards to pubs who have taken part in the Women’s Safety Charter focusing on the nighttime economy in Hitchin, going out arson patrols in Watford, attending road patrols in Hatfield and supporting a whole host of activities and events, including a knife amnesty, to raise awareness of knife crime in Hertfordshire with the Knife Angel in situ in Welwyn Garden City for the month of October.

Jonathan Ash-Edwards says:

“Our Safer Town Centres initiative has shown how bringing the police, councils, businesses and local services together can deliver real results in cutting crime and making our town centres safer.

"High visibility police foot patrols have been increased in town centres through Operation Hotspot. And our focused work over the summer cut town centre crime and anti-social behaviour.

“The work continues with more focused work over the coming weeks when town centres are busier for shopping and Christmas and New Year celebrations. Residents will see a focus on tackling retail crime, anti-social behaviour and ensuring the night-time economy is safe.

“Hertfordshire’s town centres are safe places. I want them to be even safer with visible policing so businesses can invest, and people can spend their time in our towns with confidence”.

 

For more information please contact:

Rachel Stone, Hertfordshire PCC

Tel: 0794 9279782 Email: [email protected]

Please visit our website at: www.hertscommissioner.org