ASB Awareness Week: Working together to make our communities safer
For Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week on 18–24 November, we’ll be raising awareness of its devastating impact on our communities. We want to send a strong message to the public that everybody has the right to feel safe where they live, and we all have a part to play.
ASB is not a low-level issue
While anti-social behaviour (ASB) isn’t always classified as a crime, crimes often include elements of ASB. The umbrella term covers a broad range of issues from noise nuisance, dumping rubbish, dog fouling and vandalism to swearing and shouting, intimidation and harassment, drunkenness and drugs activity. Depending on the offence and if it’s a criminal or civil matter, both the police and local authorities deal with ASB reports from the public.
These behaviours can be seen as low-level issues, but the reality is that for many people persistent ASB can cause harassment, alarm or distress to those who experience it.
In the words of a resident who was exposed to prolonged unpleasant and intimidating behaviour by a neighbour for almost two years: “It sounds menial, but it just wears you down. It’s constant and becomes unbearable at times.”
Empowering you to take action
This week, Avon and Somerset Police will be joining the government, the civil service, other police and fire services, Historic England, housing providers, local authorities and community groups from around the UK to share information and empower people to report anti-social and community safety issues to the right agencies.
We’ll also be sharing the story of a family in Minehead to show the personal impact of ASB, and the power of careful evidence-gathering and victim statements in progressing a case and achieving positive outcomes. These factors were key to the successful closure of the offending property in October.
We encourage you to report persistent ASB via our web form: Report anti-social behaviour | Avon and Somerset Police
ASB can be a precursor to serious crime and your report could:
- Initiate a necessary intervention
- Provide support to those affected
- Prevent escalation towards a critical incident.
Preventing behaviour from escalating
Our dedicated ASB teams work with neighbourhood policing teams, local authorities and housing associations to support victims and deal with offenders proportionately using a range of ASB powers.
Interventions range from warning letters and acceptable behaviour contracts to more formal court orders such as criminal behaviour orders (CBOs) and injunctions, granted on application by the police. These orders restrict individuals who are persistently involved in ASB from visiting certain locations or carrying out certain behaviours.
Between January and October this year, 56 CBOs and 45 injunctions were issued forcewide to prevent harmful behaviour from escalating.
For the period 2023–24, ASB co-ordinators have seen an 11 per cent increase in demand, managing 833 interventions to date in comparison to the 753 interventions they handled in 2022–23.
These are stepped interventions, which increase in severity when previous ASB powers and offers of support have been exhausted. Early intervention and prevention tactics, such as diversionary schemes and support networks for vulnerable people, will continue to be our preferred approach to enforcement.
Tackling ASB is a team effort
North Somerset Council recently reported a 76 per cent reduction in ASB and a 60 per cent reduction in crime in Weston-super-Mare thanks to effective partnership working between the police, the council and the Weston Business Improvement District (BID).
In July, Alexandra Parade in the town centre was seeing high levels of disorder associated with street drinking, which led to a loss of trade for businesses and reports from local people feeling unsafe in the area. A multi-agency plan was set up to tackle these issues, resulting in arrests, interventions and educational opportunities for licensed premises to make sure they were trading legally and responsibly – for example, not selling to intoxicated people or selling single cans of alcohol where their licence does not allow.
These positive outcomes follow Avon and Somerset Police’s recent announcement that officers have delivered more than 4,500 additional patrols targeting ASB and serious violence this year, in collaboration with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and local authorities. These Home-Office funded patrols are ongoing and are being delivered in 72 locations where issues have been widely and continuously reported.
~
Chief Inspector Scott Hill, Force Lead for Anti-Social Behaviour, said: “Anti-social behaviour can make people’s lives a misery and we’re working hard to reduce its impact on our communities.
“If the destructive behaviour of others is causing you and others harm, please don’t suffer in silence and report it today.
“Thanks to the dedication and efforts of our ASB co-ordinators, policing teams and local partners, we’ve seen a positive difference in locations like Weston-super-Mare town centre. Moreover, only last week our teams secured closure orders for two properties in Bristol, where the actions of occupants were causing distress to residents.
“We’ll continue to focus our resources on areas affected by anti-social behaviour, making our streets a safer place for all.”
~
Clare Moody, Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “I hear from people across Avon and Somerset about the impact anti-social behaviour has on their lives. It’s not just about nuisance; it can disrupt entire communities, make people feel unsafe in their own homes, and lead to more serious crime if left unchecked.
“Strengthening neighbourhood policing to help tackle anti-social behaviour is one of my priorities, because everyone deserves to feel safe and supported where they live. I have seen the difference that is made through partnership working, targeted patrols, and the tireless efforts of police, councils and community groups.
“I know we can achieve even more by continuing to work together, listening to those affected, and taking action to prevent harm and create safer, stronger communities.”
Report Report Report
While you may not see an immediate response after filing a report, each and every one is valuable and helps us build an accurate intelligence picture. This enables our teams to effectively target resources in areas where they are most needed.
The quickest way of reporting ASB is via our web form: Report anti-social behaviour | Avon and Somerset Police
Alternatively, you can visit your local enquiry office.
We encourage you to use the StreetSafe app to anonymously report safety concerns in public spaces: Report feeling unsafe in public spaces (StreetSafe) | Avon and Somerset Police This tool is not for reporting crimes.
If you are in immediate danger, always call 999.