Debden: Police and council patrols deter ASB on the Broadway

Dedicated patrols by police and council partners on Debden Broadway have contributed to a substantial drop in anti-social behaviour across Epping Forest district.

The Broadway is one of 13 hotspot areas across the county that received a share of a £1.1m investment by Essex’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to combat ASB under Operation Dial.

Anti-social behaviour in Epping Forest district has reduced by 30.1% in the year to the end of January 2024. Across Essex, there has been a 38.5% drop in ASB with 9,416 fewer offences committed.

In Debden Broadway, police officers and community safety colleagues from Epping Forest District Council are on target to complete 2,000 hours of patrols over the course of nine months to the end of March.

Local people had reported concerns about activity related to drug dealing and feeling intimidated by groups of youths.

So far, there have been four arrests, 19 stop searches and 11 informal warnings issued in the hotspot area.

There has also been regular youth outreach and community engagement work, as well as events at New City College where officers from Loughton Community Policing Team have spoken to hundreds of students with the aim of making them feel confident they can report incidents and recognise inappropriate behaviour.

In the first six months of the operation, officers on Dial patrols across the 13 zones made 75 arrests, issued 60 fixed penalty notices, gave 151 informal warnings, and conducted 232 stop searches.

High harm crime like violence and sexual offences are down by more than 40% in those areas.

Sergeant Rob Fitt of the Epping Community Safety Team works alongside Epping Forest District Council to act on concerns raised by the public. He said the targeted patrols were having an impact.

“We know how much damage anti-social behaviour can do to a community, and if ASB is not dealt with, it can lead to other forms of offending.

“Nobody should feel intimidated or harassed when they’re at home or shopping on the Broadway.

“The high-visibility patrols by our officers and our partners from the council are deterring potential offenders and providing a reassuring presence for local people.

“We know people like to see officers out on patrol and the feedback has been very positive. We are here to listen to people and take action when they report suspicious or illegal activity.

“If people witness anti-social behaviour, they should call 101 or report it online via our website or through Epping Forest District Council. If there’s a crime in progress, always call 999.”

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