Police to continue anti-social behaviour patrols in city centre

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Gwent Police will continue dedicated patrols in Newport city centre and other hotspot areas for antisocial behaviour, thanks to new funding.

Superintendent Jason White told city councillors, on Tuesday, the Home Office had recommitted to Operation Lumley “for another 12 months, which is great”.

The initiative focuses on visible police presence in areas where bad behaviour is frequently reported.

In January, Gwent Police said Operation Lumley had so far led to 49 arrests in Newport, as well as 38 stop-and-searches and 17 community resolution notices.

Supt White told councillors reports of antisocial behaviour had remained “largely the same” between October and February, but overall crime in the city had declined by 9%.

Reports of violent offences, vehicle crime and burglaries are all down, and while the force has recorded more weapon offences, “a lot of these are the result of proactive stop-and-searches”, he added.

Cllr Gavin Horton, who runs a business in the city, praised the force for its timely response to a recent incident near the premises.

Gwent Police has “really improved” on its response times, Supt White told the meeting.

Cllr Will Routley asked the officer about perceptions of the city centre – citing “gangs of youths” on bikes, as well as reports of drug-taking and aggressive begging.

“What is stopping you from arresting these people [and] getting them off the streets of Newport?” Cllr Routley asked.

Supt White said “nothing is stopping us, assuming we’ve got the resources available”, but added statistics “don’t necessarily” support those perceptions of the city centre.

He accepted antisocial behaviour rates had “remained stubbornly the same” but insisted offenders “are being arrested, they are being dealt with”.

Cllr Mark Howells asked the local authority’s leader, Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, what he was doing to help bring crime down.

Cllr Batrouni said that while the police are the “main partners” in reducing crime, the council is a “key ally” and provided a dedicated antisocial behaviour team, including one officer specifically for the city centre.

In a response to Cllr Routley, the leader said the local authority has a “zero-tolerance” approach to crime and antisocial behaviour.

“We don’t want anyone feeling unsafe in the city centre,” he said, adding it was important to recognise overall crime rates were declining.

Cllr Trevor Watkins asked whether more police community support officers (PCSOs) would be hired in Gwent.

At a previous meeting, Supt White said funding cuts meant the force could lose “quite a significant number” of PCSOs.

This time around, the news was more positive, with the officer telling councillors a new cohort of PCSOs is scheduled to join Gwent Police in May, followed by two more recruitment drives by the end of the next financial year.