St Annes is to benefit from additional police foot patrols over the next two years to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB), as part of Lancashire Constabulary and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s county-wide Op Centurion campaign.
Lancashire Constabulary’s local neighbourhood teams and the newly established ASB Prevention and Problem-Solving Command will be working with key partners, including Fylde Council, to crack down on incidents of ASB throughout the town.
Cllr Karen Buckley, Leader of Fylde Council, said: “On behalf of Fylde Council, I’m very pleased to welcome these additional patrols to tackle anti-social behaviour in St Annes. Visible policing of our streets is high on the public’s agenda and will make a real difference to keeping our residents and visitors feeling safe. This new initiative also means extra funds for additional council enforcement staff to work alongside the Police and I look forward to seeing the results of this targeted work in and around the town centre.”
Op Centurion’s first phase launched in June 2023, using Home Office funding secured by the Commissioner to deploy extra police patrols in six Lancashire districts in a targeted approach to tackle ASB. The resounding success of the initial campaign has allowed for a broader rollout, with St Annes being one of eight more areas to benefit alongside Darwen, Morecambe, Clitheroe, Colne, Bacup, Leyland and Skelmersdale.
The additional resources provided by Op Centurion have already allowed the police and partner agencies to protect local communities across Lancashire by shutting down drug dens, seizing nuisance vehicles, and securing arrests for those involved in a variety of offences, from drug dealing to criminal damage.
Fylde Council has also submitted a successful bid for an allocation of £14,976 from the Police and Crime Commissioner to support these patrols. This allocation will fund the deployment of additional Community Safety Enforcement Officers throughout the town centre to support the Op Centurion patrols.
Cllr Chris Dixon, Lead Member for Social Wellbeing, said: “Anti-social behaviour has a profound impact on victims, how safe they feel in their homes and communities, and can drastically affect their quality of life. It’s a very serious issue for many of our residents, and we as an authority are serious about working with Lancashire Constabulary to tackle it.
“This is why we are so delighted with our successful bid for additional funding for Community Safety Enforcement Officers, who will serve as a further enforcement presence to disrupt and decrease anti-social behaviour. This means more boots on the ground tackling real issues – more police officers in St Annes, and more council officers supporting them. That’s reassuring for residents and visitors, and a real deterrent for those looking to cause a nuisance.”
Fylde Council work with Lancashire Constabulary and other partner agencies to address instances of ASB, and best point of contact varies depending on the issue being experienced.
In case of the following, contact the Police by calling 101 to speak to your local neighbourhood policing team, reporting online at http://www.lancashiretacklingasb.co.uk, or by calling 999 in case of an emergency:
- Drug dealing.
- Alcohol-fuelled crime/violence.
- Criminal damage.
- Gang-related activities.
- Assault.
- Prostitution or kerb-crawling.
- Stolen property.
- Hate crime incidents.
- Use of imitation weapons, such as BB guns, in public areas.
To report the following, contact Fylde Council by emailing listening@fylde.gov.uk, reporting issues on the Fylde Council website, or by dialling 01253 658658, 9am-5pm Monday to Friday:
- Aggressive begging.
- Vehicle nuisance.
- Noise nuisance.
- Neighbour nuisance.
- Graffiti, vandalism, fly-tipping and littering.
- Dog-related anti-social behaviour and fouling
- Misuse of fireworks – contact the Fire Service on 999 in case of immediate danger, but the Council can also investigate and take action.
Chief Inspector Chris Barton, who oversees Neighbourhood Policing in Blackpool and Fylde, said: “I am delighted that St Annes is benefiting from additional funding as part of Op Centurion. Anti-social behaviour covers a wide range of unacceptable activity that can leave victims feeling helpless.
“We are absolutely committed to tackling anti-social behaviour. I hope that the positive results we have already seen throughout West Division sends out a clear message that we will take action against those who choose to commit crime.
“We look forward to continuing to work with our partner agencies to make St Annes a safe place to live, work and visit.”
Read more about Op Centurion, what constitutes anti-social behaviour, and who to report it to at www.lancashiretacklingasb.co.uk
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