Debden: Joint patrols of ASB hotspot deter offending

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

In the past 12 months, incidents of anti-social behaviour have decreased by 7.7%, with 81 fewer offences reported. Since 2019, when there were 2,699 offences reported, ASB has dropped by 64%.

As part of Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week, officers from the Epping Community Safety Team were joined by Epping Forest District Council’s ASB officer, environmental enforcement officers and parking enforcement to patrol the Broadway and surrounding streets.

The Broadway is one of 15 hotspot areas across the county that received a share of a £1.6m investment by Essex’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to combat ASB as part of Operation Dial.

Sergeant Rob Fitt of the Epping Community Safety Team works alongside Epping Forest District Council to act on concerns raised by local residents. He said targeted enforcement action to tackle ASB was succeeding.

“The feedback from the public and shop owners has been really positive. They told us the patrols are making a difference and they’re seeing a reduction in offending.

“There were issues with large groups congregating which people found intimidating, and there was drug use and people smoking cannabis on the stairwells of the flats.

“We do a lot of patrols of the stairwells, and around the backs of the shops because these are the areas locally that people get most concerned about.

“The work that we have been doing alongside the council is getting the message out that ASB isn’t acceptable and we will take action against anyone who isn’t behaving on the Broadway, but it’s not just about enforcement, it’s also about giving people advice and making the community safer.”

Melissa Faux, the senior crime and ASB officer at Epping Forest District Council, said the partnership with the police was getting results:

“It’s essential we work together to tackle ASB because we can’t solve these problems in isolation – no organisation can. Evenings like this show the benefit of it.

“We look at data and the feedback from residents and predominantly it’s been very positive. There are still issues we are working on – tonight we issued a Community Protection Warning to a resident for verbal abuse – but we have reduced the number of ASB incidents, and we’ve increased our visibility.

“As a council team, we are here three times a week and the police are here almost every day. We have more of a presence in the area and the public and residents here have definitely noticed that.”

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