Harlow: Officers continue high visibility patrols of The Stow

Harlow’s Community Policing Team are continuing with high visibility patrols of The Stow to deter crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB).

The Stow 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 Harlow is down by 33.4% in the year to the end of January 2024, with 479 fewer incidents than in the previous 12 months.

Across Essex, there has been a 38.5% drop in ASB.

Last week, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Harlow following the announcement that hotspot patrolling will be rolled out to all 43 police forces in England and Wales as part of the government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy.

So far, officers on Operation Dial patrols have made 75 arrests, issued 60 fixed penalty notices, given 151 informal warnings, and conducted 232 stop searches across the 13 zones.

In The Stow, police officers and community safety colleagues from Harlow Council are on target to complete 2,000 hours of patrols over the course of nine months to the end of March. There have been four arrests, one Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) issued, and 16 stop searches.

In January, reports of a man carry a weapon in The Stow led to a Section 60 order that increases police stop and search powers. He was arrested and subsequently charged with possession of a bladed article.

Operation Dial is one of number of initiatives running in Harlow to limit ASB. Operation Shopper has seen more than 100 e-scooters and hundreds of alcoholic drinks confiscated in retail areas, and there has been a clampdown on car meets and the use of off-road bikes.

The team also secured a closure order on a property in Old Harlow that was being used as a base by a group of youths linked to several offences.

Inspector Leanne Archer of Harlow Community Policing Team said:

“The reduction in offending shows that our focus on ASB is having an impact both in The Stow and across the rest of the district.

“Anti-social behaviour damages communities and if it isn’t tackled early, it can escalate into other forms of crime.

“Nobody should feel intimidated in the area they live or work. We know the public like seeing officers out on patrol so having a regular visible presence is a deterrent.

“If people witness anti-social behaviour, they should call 101 or report it online via our website or through Harlow Council. The more people tell us about ASB, the more we can do to combat it.”

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