ANTI-Social Behaviour Awareness Week was a huge success for police in Warrington – and across the whole of Cheshire.
Officers were kept busy raising awareness of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) during the week of action which ran from July 18 to July 22.
The week involved all nine Local Policing Units (LPUs) across the county, focusing on engaging with their communities to tackle anti-social behaviour.
In Warrington, officers worked closely with the community to raise awareness of anti-social behaviour. This included children from St Barnabas Primary School painting a mural in a subway,
There was also a PCSO visit to Year 5 at Dallam Primary School, where topics discussed included the age of criminality and ASB. Further discussion focussed on open water swimming and being safe in the school holidays, electric scooters and more.
Pop-up surgeries were held where children had the chance to meet PC Panda and to sit in a police car with the sirens and lights in motion. PCSOs organised colouring activities for the youngsters who attended and engaged with residents about issues in their area.
There was a drugs warrant conducted, with one person arrested.
Bike marking was available to members of the public at Warrington West railway station to combat a series of bike thefts in the area
Retail stores were visited following reports of youths throwing eggs and tomatoes at a property. Staff were advised not sell these items to youths.
Op Scrambler was held a Burtonwood and there was a knife bin in Honiton Square, Penketh. Police worked with housing officers to visit alleged ASB perpetrators – and a drugs warrant was executed.
There was a knife surrender bin at Sainsburys and the Co-op in Burtonwood and a plain clothes operation in Sankey Valley Park following reports of drug dealing. Speed enforcement was in place on Canon Road.
Bike marking was available at the Oaks Centre, in Warrington West, with ASB patrols around hotspots including Mary Ann Meadows, Dakota Park and Tim Parry Park.
Police and the Youth Service conducted joint patrols in ASB hotspots in Whittle Hall Park where packs of lager and a bottle of whiskey were confiscated and poured away.
The youths who had the alcohol dropped it and fled when the patrol arrived.
An ASB operation was held at Culcheth where residents took part in a survey and a bike marking event was held for Ukrainian refugee.
A knife sweep was carried out at Brickfield Park, off Orford Lane, Warrington.
Superintendent Gary Smith, lead for Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week in Cheshire said: “It has been a successful week for Cheshire Police during Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week, with plenty of engagement with the local community.
“We put a focus on working with partners and it is clear to see that working with our partners has helped officers to get messages to the public.
“ASB can include things such as graffiti, littering and off-road motorcycles within the community and this activity creates an environment where more serious crime can take place.
“This type of behaviour might not seem serious to some people, but it can cause misery to local neighbourhoods, and I hope this week has shown if we all work together, we can have a positive impact and drive down the levels of ASB.
“I would like to continue to urge anyone who feels that they are or have been a victim of ASB to get in touch with Cheshire Constabulary by calling 101 or reporting it via https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report/asb/asb/report-antisocial-behaviour”
Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer said: “It’s great to see the Constabulary take this action throughout ASB awareness week. It shows that we’re serious about targeting perpetrators of ASB in Cheshire.
“I mention tackling ASB in my Police and Crime Plan because everyone deserves to live in a safe community, free from these sorts of incidents, and it’s vital for the police to work with local people to achieve this.
“My thanks go to all the officers involved in operations across ASB awareness week, and I want to reassure residents of our commitment to make Cheshire even safer.”
