Collaborative approach to reducing antisocial behaviour makes me optimistic for the future, says Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez

Throughout the nine years I have been Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly, one of the top priorities highlighted in our public engagement surveys is people wanting more police resources targeted towards addressing antisocial behaviour (ASB).

The impacts of ASB in all its many forms are detrimental to the quality of life of individuals and communities who are subjected to unacceptable behaviours, often on a daily basis. 

It’s concerning to see the latest data from Devon & Cornwall Police reveals the number of recorded ASB incidents increased by 9.9 per cent over the past 12 months to February 2025 – the equivalent of 2,302 more incidents. The most common incidents officers are dealing with is rowdy and inconsiderate behaviour, closely followed by nuisance neighbours and street drinking behaviour.  

It is why in my budget for policing for 2025-26, I have committed significant funding to tackling ASB. There is even more resources being allocated to ASB over the next 12 months, including an additional £1million from the government to continue hot spot policing, new money for preventing serious violence, plus £1milllion of my own funding which is being allocated to areas that need strategic investment to deliver my Police and Crime Plan 2025-29. 

What is very clear to me is that without joint efforts with other partners and organisations, ASB will continue to make people’s lives a misery across the peninsula. It is not an issue police can deal with alone and only through working together with all our partners will we finally begin to see changes that everyone living or visiting Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly rightly deserves. 

I’m delighted to say that my hopes of achieving that have taken great strides forward thanks to new combined efforts, including those funded by my office. To discuss and evaluate those, I recently hosted a Tackling Antisocial Behaviour Together Conference, bringing together key representatives including from the police, local authority, local councillors volunteering as councillor advocates, and Community Safety Partnerships. 

Encouraging initial success stories were shared which have been given me great optimism for the future. I am particularly proud of the impact that has already been seen from our hotspot policing initiative – a data-driven method of targeted patrolling to tackle ASB and serious crime in areas where it is most prevalent. 

In 2024-25, I secured £1 million in Home Office hotspot funding, resulting in more than 22,000 hours of foot patrols being carried out by police. Current data shows they attended 1,376 reported ASB incidents, made 204 arrests, used policing powers 949 times, and engaged with almost 79,000 members of the public.  

They have also been assisted by the welcome introduction of street marshals who are partly paid for by my office - I spent £200,000 to match fund these marshals to maximise the number of patrols because I recognise the value they bring. Although they have limited policing powers, their ability to help tackle ASB is crucial. Last month, it was confirmed my office will receive Home Office funding for the second time to continue delivering hotspot policing in areas of the peninsula where it is needed most. 

In 2024-25, we were allocated £1million with latest data showing it has enabled more than 22,000 hours of hotspot patrols to be delivered by police and street marshals. They attended 1,376 ASB incidents, made 204 arrests and it has resulted in1,680 pieces of intelligence submitted. 

During the conference, significant progress was also reported around our Safer Streets project, ASB Victim Support Service, ASB Youth Outreach Service, ASB Mediation Service and a dedicated ASB police legal advisor who can swiftly issue community protection warnings and notices, or pursuing civil injunctions and closure experts. 

Benefits are also being seen from an effective tool called the ASB Case Review which empowers repeat victims of ASB to ask for a review of the actions of partner agencies have taken to resolve their concerns.  

I am also extremely grateful to all those who have joined our Councillor Advocate scheme from across all levels and political parties of local government, who selflessly volunteer their time to be mine and the force’s ears and eyes on the ground within communities to help combat ASB. 

My key aims also remain delivering coordinated and targeted support for victims of ASB as well as reducing re-offending and providing services for children and young people who are drawn into or at risk of ASB. 

Together, we can all play our part to reduce crime and help tackle ASB in problem areas across the peninsula and I pledge that those efforts to create safer communities won’t stop. 

If you are being impacted by ASB, my office funds the Devon and Cornwall Victim Support ASB Service. It is a free, independent and confidential support and advocacy service for those over 18 experiencing both crimed and non-crimed ASB.  

For more details, call your local Victim Support team on 0300 303 0554 or visit https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/resources/devon-and-cornwall  

Lines are open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. For out-of-hours support, call the free support line on 0808 1689 111.