St Helens police team targeting persistent offenders to reduce ASB-related crime
Main article content
Monday 3 July marked the start of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Awareness Week, a national campaign that the Community Policing teams at St Helens and elsewhere in Merseyside are actively supporting. The aim is to highlight the impact of ASB and bring people and organisations together to make their communities safer.
As part of our ongoing work to tackle anti-social behaviour, officers will be patrolling across the St Helens policing area, working with partners, speaking to the public about any concerns around ASB, and targeting offenders.
Police at St Helens are keen to build on the successful reduction of crimes often associated with anti-social behaviour in the town centre following the granting of several court orders against prolific offenders during the last 18 months.
Alcohol-related crime has decreased by 9%, shoplifting by 14% and possession of weapons by 28% in St Helens town centre for the 12 months ending 31 May 2023 compared to the previous 12 months.
Superintendent Steve Brizell, who heads up the Community Policing Team at St Helens said: “We are pleased to see these types of crime being reduced during this 12-month period, but we are not complacent. Our officers are relentless in their efforts to prevent and detect all types of crime and ASB, not only in the town centre but right across our policing area.
“Their determination and proactivity are reflected in a 12% increase during the same period for the detection of offenders being in possession of controlled drugs. We know that misuse of drugs and street drinking are often related to anti-social behaviour and people can find this intimidating when they’re out and about in the town centre. Members of the community should feel safe when going about their daily lives and that is why tackling ASB is an everyday commitment for us and our partners.
“We understand the impact that ASB can have on individuals and neighbourhoods, particularly when victims are experiencing it repeatedly. We will target persistent offenders whose criminal and anti-social behaviour becomes a blight in our communities and we have successfully applied for court orders in relation to four such offenders during the last 18 months.
“In these cases, three Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) and a restraining order were granted by the courts. These orders apply a wide variety of conditions ranging from the conduct of the defendant to locations they must not visit. There is no doubt that these orders have helped in our efforts to reduce crime and ASB in the town centre, and we will continue to use them to keep people safe.”
Now in its third year, ASB Awareness Week is organised by ASB and community safety specialists RESOLVE and is backed nationally by the government and other organisations including the Local Government Association (LGA), National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC).
Councillor Mancyia Uddin, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, said: “Our partnership approach to tackling ASB with Merseyside Police, Torus and other partners is making a positive difference in key areas like St Helens Town Centre, but there is much more work to be done here and across the borough.
“Our ASB Outreach team will be out and about across the borough this week as they always are, engaging with residents and young people in our streets and parks, addressing scrambler bike concerns, signposting young people to activities and sharing open water safety advice. Our Trading Standards officers will be watching out for rogue traders and visiting vape shops, which are becoming ever more attractive to those underage, to ensure that sellers are compliant and enforcing if they are not.
“Reporting ASB or crime in your area can feel like taking a risk, but there are safe and discreet ways of doing so."
If you are experiencing anti-social behaviour or are a victim of a crime, you are encouraged to report this to Merseyside Police via the force website here: www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report
You can also report via social media direct messaging to the force’s account @MerPolCC on Facebook and Twitter. Alternatively, you can call 101, or to report anonymously via Crimestoppers call 0800 555 111.
You can also anonymously tell us about areas where you feel unsafe because of anti-social behaviour via ‘StreetSafe’: www.merseyside.police.uk/notices/street-safe/street-safe
The information you submit will help us to identify the areas that need improvements to make our streets safer. Note, 'StreetSafe' is not for reporting crime or incidents.
Members of the community that have been repeatedly victimised as a result of anti-social behaviour have the right to request a multi-agency review of their case if they feel that more could be done with a joined-up approach between the police and partners. Formerly known as a “Community Trigger”, an ASB Case Review can be requested via the local authority website – opening a review is subject to various criteria (more details are available via the local authority).
Links to the relevant pages on local authority websites in Merseyside: