Police and council join forces to tackle Blackwood anti-social behaviour (From Campaign Series)

Police and council join forces to tackle Blackwood anti-social behaviour

8:50am Wednesday 4th July 2012 in Campaign news

GWENT Police and Caerphilly borough council have joined forces to tackle anti-social behaviour at Blackwood Bus Station after the issue was highlighted by the community.

Officers from Blackwood and Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Community Safety Wardens have been conducting high visibility patrols of the area, with CCTV also being utilised to help tackle the issue.

The operation achieved the following results:

4 arrests – Public Order, Public Nuisance, Possession of drugs with intention to supply and shoplifting

30 fixed penalty notices

3 intelligence logs

16 words of advice given

1 search

Anti-social behaviour is a current PACT (Partners and Communities Together) priority for the Blackwood area, and both Gwent Police and Caerphilly County Borough Council are taking significant steps towards ensuring that a small minority of people will not get away with affecting the quality of life of the majority.

While anti-social behaviour levels are at an all-time low across Caerphilly county borough, both partners are keen to emphasise that they continue to listen to residents’ concerns and act upon them, as with this joint operation.

Neighbourhood Policing Inspector, Mark Smith said: "The week of partnership working with the Police Officers, Community Support Officers, Council Community Safety Wardens and CCTV operators shows our commitment to jointly tackle this issue. The very successful week saw a reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour and it also reassures the public of our commitment to making this area a safer and a more user friendly environment. It is very much ‘work in progress’, with both high visibility and plain clothed police patrols continuing."

Cllr Dave Poole, Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services said: "Visitors to the bus station and residents of the surrounding areas have highlighted anti-social behaviour in this area as an issue, and together with our partners we are committed to tackling this issue. This high-visibility action, we hope will help make a real difference to the lives of our residents and to visitors to our county borough."

Anti-social behaviour patrols will also continue to take place throughout Blackwood.

If you would like to report incidents of anti-social behaviour, please contact Gwent Police on 101 or visit the website at www.gwent.police.uk to find contact details for your local neighbourhood policing team.