“Residents in North Wales have the right to feel secure in their communities” says Police and Crime Comissioner

The Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales has called on members of the public to report issues with antisocial behaviour to help residents “feel secure in their communities.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Preventing anti-social behaviour (ASB) has been a key priority for North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Andy Dunbobbin. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The issue forms part of his Police and Crime Plan for the region, which includes commitments to supporting victims and communities and to delivering safer neighbourhoods. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

ASB is defined as behaviour where a person’s or group’s actions causes annoyance, suffering or trouble to a specific person or group or to the wider community. Examples can include vandalism, vehicle nuisance, street drinking and inappropriate behaviour by neighbours. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The PCC has made visits to areas affected by cases of ASB to learn first-hand how initiatives have been introduced to combat crime and look at what future measures can be put in place across North Wales. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Last year several towns in North Wales benefitted from funding from the Home Office Safer Streets project, with a share of a £1.5m going towards improving street lighting, the installation of CCTV cameras and ASB intervention projects in Holyhead, Wrexham and the Shotton and Queensferry areas in a bid to combat neighbourhood crime. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Locally Wrexham received a share of a £1.5 million to help fund extra street marshals and a pop-up police station.​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

£491,644, went towards several local projects, including the Safe Space Hub at Hafan y Dref to open on Friday nights to provide welfare and first aid to people in the night-time economy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The PCC’s commissioning of services also helps support the work of Youth Offending Teams across North Wales, by funding roles and activities within the teams, who work with young people on the many issues that might be a factor in driving ASB such as substance misuse and unstable lives. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

North Wales Police & Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin said: “Residents in North Wales have the right to feel secure in their communities and it is my aim to ensure that anti-social crime can be prevented as much as possible and that people who commit ASB are dealt with appropriately. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“My Police and Crime Plan details what I am doing to reduce ASB and I have worked closely with North Wales Police to help ensure that local community policing teams have a visible presence. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We are fortunate to have many other projects in North Wales which have dealt with the root cause of ASB in their areas, many of which have been funded through my Your Community, Your Choice initiative. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I take pride in the steps I have taken to this point in preventing ASB but I understand how many people who have experienced or witnessed ASB do not come forward and report it to the relevant authorities and I want this to change. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It is important we are sighted of crime in your areas to ensure that we can take the appropriate action. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I’d urge anyone who has a crime to report or any suspicions to report it to the police or CrimeStoppers.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

You can find advice on what ASB is and how you can report it here. More on the Police & Crime Commissioner’s policing priorities for North Wales can be found here.  ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​