Little Chell and Stanfield

Off-road bikes

Operation Transom and Operation Reclaim are the force response to nuisance off-road bikes. Supported by the local council, we are identifying riders of the bikes through police reported incidents and information received by the local council so we can carry out seizure of bikes and prosecute of any riders. We have had instances where riders have been identified as residing in local authority housing and tenancy breach action has been taken.

Making Great Places

The "Making Great Places" initiative in Tunstall aims to address community concerns and improve public spaces. Local officers are engaging with residents to discuss issues affecting the area, focusing on crime reduction and community safety. Recent consultations revealed that 76% of people agree on improving public spaces, with proposals including new tree planting and outdoor market stalls. Additionally, a £4.5 million plan is underway to enhance public spaces around the town center, with feedback from residents to guide the improvements. Overall, the initiative is focused on creating a cleaner, safer, and greener environment for residents and visitors.

Traffic Offences

We are aware of the on going concerns raised by residents and members of the community about the use of off road bikes. As a result, our road crime team will continue to spend time in the areas. We have arranged targets operations using a variety of resources including our road crime team, Staffs off road bikes, drones and the fixed wing plane. This has been on going through the summer. This has also involved local officers engaging with petrol stations schools and joint visits with local housing officers to address problem properties.

Anti-Social Behaviour including nuisance bikes

Operation Transom and Operation Reclaim are the force response to nuisance off-road bikes. Supported by the local council, we are identifying riders of the bikes through police reported incidents and information received by the local council so we can carry out seizure of bikes and prosecute of any riders. We have had instances where riders have been identified as residing in local authority housing and tenancy breach action has been taken. Our road crime team will continue to spend time in the areas. We have arranged targets operations using a variety of resources including our road crime team, Staffs off road bikes, drones and the fixed wing plane. This has been on going through the summer. This has also involved local officers engaging with petrol stations schools and joint visits with local housing officers to address problem properties.

Preventing and disrupting drug offences.

Local residents have expressed concerns over drug use in the local neighbourhood. Our local officers are working hard to collate intelligence which allows us to action Warrants and work with the council regarding tenancy of offenders. If you suspect illegal drug use in your local area, we encourage members of the public to report this to police using 101, the online reporting system or Crimestoppers. We will work with partners to support persons where possible but will also look to disrupt and be robust regarding repeat offenders.

Flytipping & Littering

Local residents have raised the concern of littering and fly tipping in the area, this is encouraging the area to look untidy and attract crime. We are working hard with the local council to prevent this from happening, cleaning up any locations that are litter hotspots and moving forward, educating the young on the dangers and consequences of littering and fly tipping. The local council are identifying and fining persons who are involved in fly tipping.

Tackling youth anti-social behaviour

Concerns have been raised by the community around groups of young people gathering in certain areas, which can at times appear intimidating. Some incidents have also involved anti-social behaviour affecting local residents and businesses.
Over the past quarter, and continuing into the next, we are working to address this issue through:
• Engagement with parents and guardians: We encourage parents and guardians to be aware of where their children are, who they are with, and what they are doing. Positive guidance at home can help prevent behaviour that may cause distress or alarm within the community.
• Early intervention and partnership working: We continue to work closely with schools, social services, youth services, local councils, and community partners to ensure reports involving young people are taken seriously. Our approach focuses on education, prevention, and providing opportunities and activities to divert young people away from anti-social behaviour.
• Enforcement where required: Where individuals repeatedly engage in anti-social behaviour, proportionate action will be taken, working jointly with police and council partners.
We are committed to supporting young people while addressing behaviours that impact the wider community, ensuring the area remains a safe and welcoming place for all.

Tackling traffic offences and anti-social use of off-road bikes

The use of off-road bikes remains an issue raised by the community, and it continues to be a priority for us to reduce the impact this behaviour is having on local residents.
Over the past quarter, and continuing into the next, we have been and will continue to take action to address this issue through:
• Targeted patrols and specialist support: We are working closely with our Road Crime Team, including bike officers and advanced drivers, to target key locations at the times where issues are most prevalent, based on intelligence and data.
• Coordinated operations: We are carrying out targeted days of action using a range of resources, including Road Crime officers, police off-road bikes, drones, and the fixed-wing aircraft to identify and disrupt offenders.
• Partnership working and enforcement: We continue to work alongside Stoke-on-Trent City Council as part of Operation Transom, our joint approach to tackling nuisance off-road bikes. With information provided by the public, we are identifying riders and, where evidence allows, seizing bikes and prosecuting those responsible.
We are also working with housing partners to address issues linked to properties. In some cases, where offenders live in local authority housing, tenancy enforcement action has been taken.