Positive action taken to tackle youth antisocial behaviour, Saltash

Devon & Cornwall Police across Saltash have been stepping up their response to concerns from the local community about antisocial behaviour (ASB) involving some young people.

The neighbourhood team have responded to reports of young people being disruptive in public spaces. This included nuisance behaviour such as being loud, swearing and general disorder; all of which had been causing alarm to passers-by.

Officers have been carrying out regular patrols at peak times and locations in a bid to increase visibility and spark conversations with young people.

This proactive approach seeks to encourage young people to make positive decisions by forming positive relationships between them and the police, whilst the visibility of officers helps to deter ASB from taking place.

“The majority of young people in our communities are an absolute a credit to Saltash,” said PC Pip Davey, who is leading the activity. “However, we recognise that there are a small minority who have been causing disruption, which has caused some concern for local people.

“We’re not doing this to ‘go after’ young people. We just want to make sure everyone in our community is enjoying what Saltash has to offer safely and respectfully, without individuals’ behaviour impacting negatively on anyone else. This goes for everyone, no matter their age.”

As part of this work, police are working with local organisations to help organise a future collaborative workshop that aims to listen to the voices of young people.

The hope is that the workshop will provide a platform for young people to be heard, giving them the opportunity to share their opinions on community safety, what they think could be improved and how local organisations could better support youths across Saltash.

PC Davey added: “Whilst there is no ‘quick fix’ and we recognise that there is still more work for us to do to prevent ASB from happening across our communities, I hope the impact of our work so far has been felt.

“This is a journey, but we’re committed to making sure we’re doing all that we can to keep local people - including young people - safe.”

A vital part of the police’s response to community concerns around ASB and crime rely on the public reporting what they see.

To report to the police, call 101 or complete the form on the Devon & Cornwall Police website: Report a crime | Devon & Cornwall Police

Always call 999 in an emergency or if a crime is in progress.