The Government has announced its plans to stamp out anti-social behaviour (ASB) with more police officers, tougher punishments, higher fines, crackdown on illegal drugs, and easier ways for public to report crimes.
Today’s announcement has also come with the news that Staffordshire Police have been picked to become a Hotspot Trailblazer Police Force. This means that areas with high anti-social behaviour in the county will receive further funding from a pot of £160 million aimed at cracking down ASB in parks, town centres, and communities.
Jack Brereton, Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent South, has welcomed the news that Staffordshire will be a Hotspot Trailblazer Police Force. He has said:
“Today’s announcement will be welcomed by many residents and businesses across Stoke-on-Trent.
I am very pleased to hear that Staffordshire has been picked as a Hotspot Trailblazer police force area. Stoke-on-Trent is a proud city that prides itself on community values and our unique heritage. Anti-social behaviour brings areas down, makes residents feel unsafe, and has absolutely no place on our streets. The increased police presence will be reassuring for many people who want to see a stop to anti-social behaviour and wider crime.
I have met with Staffordshire Police in Stoke-on-Trent on many occasions to discuss anti-social behaviour and the damage this causes to our community. I look forward to working with them and taking advantage of our new Hotspot Trailblazer police force.”
Speaking in the House of Commons today regarding Staffordshire Police’s Hotspot Trailblazer Police Force, the Home Secretary said:
“My honourable friend is absolutely right that his police force is going to be a pilot area for Hotspot policing. These will start very soon, we hope before the summer, and these areas have been chosen because they’re areas with the greatest need when it came to tackling anti-social behaviour. We see them as a priority and we want to ensure that there is a proper response on the frontline as quickly as possible.”
Jack Brereton MP has recently gained the attention of the Home Office in his campaign to have Monkey Dust reclassified as a Class A drug. This would provide both the police and judiciary with further legal powers to stop the trade and use of the drug. Jack has been keen to stress that such a measure would help lower crime and ASB in areas like Stoke-on-Trent who are seeing an increased use of the drug and its effects.
The Government was also keen to announce a new digital tool for the public to report anti-social behaviour. Their hope is to provide members of the public with a simple and clear route to report anti-social behaviour, receive updates on the outcome of their case, find guidance, and challenge outcomes where they don’t think this is satisfactory. The Government is planning to further hold local partners – the police, councils, and others – to account, through expanded data collection, publications, league tables, and expectations.
