Officers spend nearly 10,000 hours patrolling in just over six months

We've spent 10,000 hours on patrol in just over six months across 19 hotspot areas as part of our ongoing strategy to reduce crime in Staffordshire.

From May this year, we've put extra investment in our neighbourhood policing teams, helping them to spend more time on foot in local communities, dealing with the issues that affect them the most.

In the last 12 months, we have received more than 17,000 reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB), a 12 per cent increase on the previous year.

ASB was identified as one of the main concerns of the community, along with knife crime and serious violence, so since May, we have put resources into tackling these issues in hotspot areas.

The patrols have seen crime rates fall by around 9 per cent in areas that were identified as hotspots for serious violence, knife crime and anti-social behaviour.

Since May, we have seen a knife crime reduction of 26 per cent, a 4 per cent reduction in serious violence and have made around 100 arrests during these patrols.

We have also been working alongside local partners to tackle reports of ASB. On Friday 7 November, officers took part in a planned operation at Hanley Park, Stoke-on-Trent, alongside the local authority.

They stopped and searched 15 people, made three arrests, seized three illegal vehicles and confiscated alcohol.

We continue to police hotspot areas and have visible targeted patrols, which are the bedrock of community policing, and effective deterrents in detecting and preventing crime, as well as improve feelings of safety.

Superintendent John Owen said: "Since we invested in local policing in Staffordshire and focused resources on issues that matter most to local communities, we have seen an overall reduction in crime, and this is in addition to work done by neighbourhood officers and PCSOs already.

"This highlights that having officers 'back on the beat', maintaining a visible presence in local communities is an effective policing model and we are bridging the gap between officers and local communities.

"We will continue to work hard alongside local partners to tackle the issues that matter most to local people, making Staffordshire a safer place to live and work for all."

Ben Adams, Staffordshire Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Commissioner, said: “Hot spot patrolling has had a positive impact in Staffordshire for three years now. I know residents and businesses value a visible police presence, so I welcome this government continuing to provide this Action Fund to Commissioners.

“Importantly, the patrols have also seen the police work more closely with local councils and other community safety partners - a key priority in my Police and Crime Plan.

“There is more work to be done, however, and I look forward to hearing more about the impact of these patrols as they continue.”

#VisibleLocalTrusted #ProblemSolvingPolicing