Summary of MPS anti-social behaviour initiatives

Report: 11
Date: 11 October 2001
By: Commissioner

Summary

In this year’s Policing and Performance Plan it was decided that there would be no MPS-wide objective or performance indicator for tackling anti-social behaviour. However, boroughs were required to develop their own localised plans. The aim of this report is to provide Members with an overview of the type of anti-social behaviour each borough is tackling and the progress they are making so far this year.

A. Recommendation

Members are asked to note the report.

B. Supporting information

1. Every Borough Operational Command Unit (BOCU) has developed individual objectives and targets for reducing anti-social behaviour. Examples of how boroughs are approaching this priority are:

• Intelligence led anti-rowdyism patrols at identified hotspot locations. The identified locations tend to be town centres and local housing estates.
• Reducing the level of youth disorder through the use of anti-social behaviour contracts, anti-social behaviour orders and truancy patrols.
• Working with the local authorities to reduce incidences of:
  • Noise pollution
  • Graffiti
  • Fly-tipping
  • Abandoned vehicles
• Working with licensed premises to reduce incidences of disorder and assaults.
• Introduction of diversion projects i.e. junior citizen scheme.

Attached at Appendix 1 is an individual breakdown of each boroughs activity during the first quarter of this year.

2. Due to the localised nature of this activity it is not possible to do comparisons amongst the boroughs other than to look at the CADMIS data. Table A below looks at disorder calls and table B looks specifically at alcohol related disorder.

Disorder calls

3. The chart below details the number of disorder calls made during the first quarter of this year compared to last year. The chart shows that the amount of disorder calls has increased overall by 4.6% with only the ‘other ‘ disturbance category showing a decrease. 

Please note: The data provided below is based on the original type code allegation. To avoid double counting the figures are based on the first allegation code only.

Alcohol related disorder

4. The chart below shows the number of alcohol related disorder calls made during the first quarter of this year compared to last year. The chart shows that the number of calls has decreased overall by 6.8%. When comparing the combined disorder and alcohol related calls together the figures show that calls have increased by 3.6% compared to the same period last year.

C. Financial implications

None

D. Background papers

None

E. Contact details

Report author: David Paterson, MPS Corporate Performance Analysis Unit, 020 7230 0733

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1: Borough profiles

Barking and Dagenham

Barking and Dagenham have a number of key objectives to reduce anti-social behaviour that includes:

• To reduce overall crime levels in hotspot areas by 5%.
• To reduce complaint calls from hotspot areas by 5%.

Initiatives have involved the use of mobile CCTV in disorder and anti-social behaviour hotspots, and working with the local authority to evict unruly housing tenants.

Progress to date shows that disorder calls have increased; however, overall crime in the three identified hotspot locations has decreased.

Barnet

Barnet borough’s anti-social behaviour strategy includes the following initiatives;

• Targeted anti-rowdyism patrols at identified hotspot locations on a Friday and Saturday evening. Monitoring of this task has shown a 33% reduction in disorder calls at the identified locations.
• Targeted ‘truancy sweeps’
• Joint patrols with neighbourhood wardens.

The borough are currently working with the local authority to form an anti-social behaviour problem-solving multi-agency group. The local authority is in the process of recruiting a co-ordinator for the group.

Bexley

The objectives and performance indicators for Bexley borough’s anti-social behaviour plan are derived from the Bexley Community Partnership. Examples of the initiatives carried out to date are:

• High visibility anti rowdyism patrols to tackle disorder hotspots.
• Partnership initiative to reduce disorder on the Ellenborough Road Estate, North Cray.
• To reduce the level of youth disorder through the use of ABCs and ASBOs.

In October 2001 the BOCU will be hosting a multi-agency conference with the aim of developing innovative solutions to reduce anti-social disorder.

The measurement of Bexley’s performance to date against their action plan has been based on public satisfaction surveys and the level of public disorder alcohol related incidents on the CAD system. Feedback from the surveys has been positive. The borough is internally monitoring their progress against their action plan every month.

Brent

Brent borough’s disorder and anti-social behaviour plan aims to reduce crime and disorder in the town centre areas of the borough. A key element of their strategy is to utilise the use of anti-social behaviour orders. An anti-social behaviour action group has been formed, police and council officers have now been trained in the ASBO policy and five ASBO applications are currently ongoing.

The borough is also participating in a targeted policing initiative for Harlesden. Part of that initiative involves tackling the anti-social behaviour of suspected drug users on the Stonebridge Park estate.

Monitoring of their performance will be measured by the number of ASBOs they obtain and the number of disorder calls on the CAD system.

Bromley

Bromley’s anti-social behaviour strategy includes:

• To reduce incidents of disorder by 5% on 2000/01 figures in six key hotspot areas on the borough.
• To reduce incidents of assault between the hours of 6pm and 3am by 5% in four specified areas around licensed premises.

Figures so far this year show that incidents of disorder have reduced, however incidents of assaults have increased.

Camden

To reduce disorder and anti-social behaviour Camden police have formed a multi-agency user group. The group has decided to tackle three areas of anti-social behaviour:

• Youth disorder
• Graffiti
• Noise nuisance

Some of the initiatives that the group have undertaken included:

• High visibility police patrols in identified hotspots
• To eradicate 80% of graffiti reported within 24 hours
• To deal jointly with complaints of noise.

Much of the work undertaken by the multi-agency group has been to develop a baseline to measure the borough’s performance. This work is still ongoing. From a police perspective it has been identified that the MPS CAD system is not sufficiently able to accurately record incidence of youth disorder or graffiti. Work is currently ongoing with the Communication User Support Group to establish more specific incident codes.

Croydon

The disorder and anti-social behaviour strategy for Croydon concentrates on three main areas:

• To reduce graffiti within the borough
• To reduce criminal damage and disorder calls in Croydon town centre
• To reduce assault in Croydon town centre

The borough are currently running an anti robbery initiative (operation ‘Oyster’) in the town centre. It is believed that this operation will have a positive impact on other crime including the reduction of disorder and assaults.

Croydon monitor performance in their monthly management report. To date disorder calls and assaults in the town centre have increased on last year’s figures. The judicial disposal rate for graffiti is currently 5%.

Ealing

Ealing Borough have developed an anti-social intervention plan; some of the actions within the intervention plan are:

Intelligence

• A constable within the BIU has been nominated as the anti social behaviour collation officer and is flagging any incidents of anti social behaviour with the tag ‘QQASB’. This information is passed out to all officers via the regular intelligence briefings.

Investigation

• All 38 registered social landlords on the borough have been written to by the local authority and invited to sign up to the information exchange protocol.

Forensics

• Liaison currently taking place with local higher identification officer to increase forensic opportunities relating to anti social behaviour.

Diversion

• The Ealing Junior Citizen Scheme focused on anti social behaviour and promoting good citizenship skills. It reached an audience of about 1,500 young people.
• The Summer Action Scheme involved about 200 young people aged between 11 and 16 from 12 different estates across the borough. It focused on developing leadership and teambuilding skills. For the first time a number of referrals from the Ealing youth offending team were placed on the scheme.

Problem-solving

• A number of successful joint truancy patrols have been carried out involving education social workers, home beat officers and BLO staff. These patrols have been focused on crime/anti social behaviour hotspot areas.

Targeting

• Northolt Sector and 301 Housing from the Local Authority have started to pilot Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) on 7 identified young people. The Ealing scheme differs from the original pilot in Islington in that it involves a range of built-in support mechanisms from Social Services and the Education Department of the Local Authority. It is hoped to roll out the ABC programme across the borough later this year.

Ealing’s performance indicators are monitored locally on a quarterly basis.

Enfield

Enfield’s Disorder and anti-social behaviour strategy aims to target anti-social behaviour caused by youths, and in particular crimes of violence. Their action plan includes the following tasks;

• Using the ‘Blue Sky’ intelligence model to identify disorder hotspot locations and then direct resources accordingly.
• Work in partnership with other agencies to reduce anti-social behaviour.
• The introduction of acceptable behaviour contracts for youths in the borough who are suspected of causing anti-social behaviour.

Measurement/progress of the tasks contained within Enfield’s plan are monitored locally.

Greenwich

Greenwich’s strategy to reduce anti-social behaviour contains four strands; intelligence, targeting, diversion and problem-solving. Examples of initiatives carried out to date include;

• Focusing high visibility patrols to identified disorder hotspots
• Working in partnership to reduce graffiti in the borough.
• Establishing a league table to monitor licensed premises in relation to disorder and anti-social behaviour.

The borough is currently developing an action plan to reduce disorder and anti-social behaviour based on the results from their crime and disorder audit (to be completed October 2001).

Greenwich has set a target to reduce the number of disorder calls in Woolwich town centre by 5%.

Hackney

Hackney borough’s anti-social behaviour plan has a target to reduce CAD disorder calls by 5%.

The strategy includes

• Targeting individuals and premises engaged in anti-social behaviour
• Develop a ‘menu of options’ to tackle anti-social behaviour
• Work in partnership with the Neighbourhood Warden scheme.

CAD disorder calls show an overall increase to date.

Hammersmith and Fulham

Hammersmith and Fulham’s anti-social behaviour plan aims to reduce incidences of disorder by 5%.

The strategy includes;

• Through the anti-social behaviour panel increasing the number of legal outcomes from the panel and increase the number of acceptable behaviour contracts.
• Work in partnership to reduce graffiti within the borough
• Increase the number of truancy patrols

The borough is due to commence an initiative which is designed to reduce alcohol-related disorder in and around Shepherds Bush Green. Performance against their plan is monitored locally on a monthly basis.

Haringey

Haringey’s Disorder and anti-social behaviour plan aims to reduce incidences by tackling local problems of prostitution, aggressive begging and drunkenness. In addition they are also working to establish a ‘best practice street crime group’ which aims to introduce diversion and supervision programmes for youths.

Performance of their plan is monitored at a local level.

Harrow

Harrow’s anti-social behaviour plan aims to reduce incidents of disorder and anti-social behaviour (particularly drunkenness and loutish behaviour) by 5%.

The borough’s action plan includes a wide range of local and partnership initiatives that include targeted high visibility patrols, work with the local authority to tackle graffiti and the establishment of a ‘pub watch’ and ‘ring master’ scheme for public houses on the borough.

Performance against the action plan is monitored locally. Figures for April 2001 to June 2001 show the number of disorder calls has increased by 14.2%.

Havering

Havering borough has introduced a number of initiatives to reduce disorder and anti-social behaviour. In October 2001 the borough will be introducing a crime and disorder response unit. The new unit will be staffed by 2 sergeants and 14 constables and its remit will be to respond to crime and disorder issues throughout the borough.

Other initiatives have included;

• The introduction of acceptable behaviour contracts for youths on the borough who are suspected of causing anti social behaviour.
• Introduction of a pubwatch scheme across the borough where photographs of known troublemakers are circulated to licensees.
• Funding has been obtained to link the four separate CCTV systems within the borough into one control centre.

Hillingdon

Hillingdon police have set anti-social behaviour targets to reduce disorder in ten identified hotspots by 10% and to reduce reports of disorder overall by 2%.

Examples of the initiatives carried out since April 2001 are:

• Working in partnership with the local authority, the authority has introduced traffic calming measures in a location where motor cycle racing was taking place, they have also removed hedges at a location with high motor vehicle crime
• Police patrols in identified hotspot areas
• Developed a community advice telephone to deal with community concerns about anti social behaviour
• Funding obtained to pay for four youth shelters
• Police organised a youth fair to promote the facilities available to youths within the borough.

Their strategy is monitored locally on a monthly basis.

Hounslow

Hounslow borough’s anti-social behaviour plan has concentrated on three key areas:

• Using multi-agency intelligence to: a) identify and target individuals who have been identified as being responsible for anti-social behaviour, and b) to target disorder hotspots.
• To increase truancy patrols.
• Positive prosecution policy against perpetrators who are arrested for anti-social behaviour at identified hotspots.

The borough is about to run operation ‘Innkeeper’, which aims to reduce disorder at identified licensed premises that have significant demand on police resources.

Hounslow monitor the progress of their plan at a local level every month.

Islington

To reduce anti-social behaviour Islington borough has formed a multi-agency team. Their aims include:

• Reducing anti-social behaviour, particularly problems caused by young people on estates and around schools
• To promote successes to build community confidence
• To ensure maximum use of acceptable behaviour contracts and anti-social behaviour orders.

The team is currently awaiting the appointment of a crime analyst and a Researcher to assist the team to identify and analyse disorder and anti-social behaviour on the borough.

Kensington and Chelsea

Kensington and Chelsea’s plan to reduce disorder and anti-social behaviour at identified hotspot areas includes the following initiatives:

• To reduce youth disorder on Worlds End estate
• To reduce drunkenness outside Earls Court and Gloucester Road underground station
• To reduce incidence of prostitute carding in Earls Court Road
• To establish a licensing forum across the borough.

Monitoring of their plan is by way of public satisfaction surveys and CAD disorder calls.

Kingston upon Thames

Kingston upon Thames disorder and anti social behaviour plan aims to reduce incidents of disorder by concentrating on five key areas:

• Introduce systems to accurately record and monitor disorder levels within the borough to ensure effective tasking of resources
• To reduce anti-social behaviour by targeting known offenders
• To reduce the fear of crime through a positive media strategy
• Through a multi-agency approach reduce youth disorder by using ASBOs and ABCs
• Designing out crime by incorporating crime prevention measures in the design of buildings and open spaces.

Performance is monitored locally.

Lambeth

Lambeth’s disorder and crime reduction strategy concentrates on six main areas of activity:

• To conduct ‘clean sweep’ operations in the borough, to tackle street drinkers, aggressive beggars, fly-tipping etc.
• Working with Lambeth Council to remove abandoned vehicles.
• Working with Grimebusters to reduce graffiti.
• Working with London Fire Brigade and Lambeth Council to reduce refuse fires.
• To reduce noise nuisance.
• To reduce nuisance on housing estates through local agreements and mediation.

Lambeth are currently developing performance indicators to monitor the progress against their plan. At present they are using disorder calls on the CAD system to monitor their performance.

Lewisham

Lewisham’s anti-social behaviour plan includes the following objectives:

• To support the neighbourhood warden scheme on the Honor Oak Estate.
• Target drink related disorder
• Reduce graffiti and vandalism by increasing judicial disposals by 10%, supporting the local authority in a voluntary reparation scheme for first instance offences, and to work with local business to prevent the sale of articles used for causing damage or graffiti.
• Work with the local authority to tackle fly tipping, noise nuisance and abandoned vehicles.

Merton

Merton borough’s anti-social behaviour plan aims to reduce incidences of disorder and anti-social behaviour by working jointly with Merton Council. Examples of the tasks undertaken include:

• Running a joint initiative with Environmental Health Officers each Friday and Saturday night, responding to noise nuisance calls
• Agreed protocols with Merton Council to jointly deal with complaints of graffiti, fly-tipping and abandoned vehicles
• Targeted patrols to disorder hotspots.

Merton monitor their performance on a quarterly basis; their figures show that during the first quarter reports of disorder and assaults in licensed premises have reduced by 45% (compared with the same period last year).

Newham

Newham borough’s anti-social behaviour plan aims to reduce incidents of disorder by 5%. Examples of initiatives undertaken include:

• A Hospital Watch scheme was recently launched at Newham General Hospital
• A multi-agency partnership initiative ‘Respect’ has been introduced on the borough. The aim of the project is to combine each agency resources to tackle jointly disorder and anti-social behaviour to regain the respect of the local community.

To monitor their performance Newham has developed an anti-social behaviour index which consists of various crime types added to CAD disorder calls.

Redbridge

Redbridge objectives are to:

• Reduce the number of disorder incidents in public places by 5%
• Reduce the number of disorder incidents in licensed premises by 5%
• Reduce civil disputes by 5%.

To achieve these targets the borough has been targeting identified problem areas in partnership with the public and other agencies. In addition the borough operate a gold, silver and bronze response to tackle repeat offenders or premises.

The borough is monitoring their process locally and by using CADMIS data.

Richmond upon Thames

Since 1 April 2001 Richmond upon Thames borough have been working on a number of local initiatives to reduce disorder and anti-social behaviour.

An example of the work undertaken to date includes:

• An Anti-social Behaviour Panel sits monthly to consider which cases are suitable for acceptable behaviour contracts
• A ‘Cleansweep’ day was undertaken in April 2001. This was a joint agency approach to tackle anti-social behaviour in the town centres within the borough. The day was deemed to be a success and another day is planned for October
• A poster and newspaper campaign to tackle under age drinking will begin this month.

Performance is monitored at a local level.

Southwark

In July 2000 the Southwark Anti-social Behaviour Unit (SASBU) was formed to meet the Southwark Crime and Disorder Partnership strategic objective of effectively dealing with anti-social behaviour in the local neighbourhoods. The unit consists of a multi-agency team, led by Southwark Housing and is based at Southwark police station.

The unit’s work includes: obtaining eviction notices and injunctions to deal with unruly tenants, managing and enforcing the Acceptable Behaviour Contracts and working closely with borough police sectors to ensure patrols are targeted to crime and disorder hotspots.

In addition to the SASBU, Southwark borough deals with the other aspects of disorder and anti-social behaviour that do not fall within the remit of the SASBU. The Borough has adopted the ‘focus desk’ approach to tackling disorder and also aims to maximise crime-scene opportunities to increase intelligence about offenders.

The Southwark plan is monitored at a local level in their monthly management report.

Sutton

Sutton’s anti-social behaviour plan aims to reduce incidence of criminal damage for graffiti offences and to reduce disorder in public places by 5%. CAD disorder calls for the 1st quarter of this year shows there has been a 14.2% increase. To reverse this trend the borough has been running the following initiatives:

• Operation ‘Sherwood’ aims to tackle underage drinking by confiscating alcohol from underage youths and prosecuting off-licences who sell the alcohol to them
• Operation ‘Sundown’ aims to tackle town centre disorder in a Friday and Saturday evening
• A Youth Risk Management Panel has been formed to tackle youths who are at risk or who are responsible for committing anti-social behaviour. So far the borough have taken out three ASBOs and one ABC against offending youths
• Operation ‘Marker’ aims to reduce graffiti within the borough. To date the borough has a judicial disposal rate of 17% for the year.

Sutton monitor their performance by using the CADMIS data.

Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets’ strategy to reduce disorder and anti-social behaviour concentrates on tackling youth offending. The borough has been using anti-social behaviour orders against the offending youths. One ASBO has been obtained and there are another 5 in the judicial system.

The acceptable behaviour contract system has been developed and a ‘reward’ scheme for those who keep to the contract is being devised.

Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest is currently developing their anti-social behaviour strategy, based on the consultation process for the Borough Community Safety Plan. In September 2001 a Safety Net Partnership will be formed, with the aim to reduce disorder and anti-social behaviour on the borough’s housing estates.

CAD disorder analysis shows that there has been a 1.1% reduction in calls between April and June compared with the same period last year.

Wandsworth

Wandsworth’s action plan to reduce disorder and anti-social behaviour includes:

• To increase community intelligence by 50%.
• Reduce youth crime and disorder through multi-agency initiatives on the Alton estate.
• Reduce the incidence of graffiti in partnership with Wandsworth Council.

Targets have been set to monitor the plan and performance indicators should be available by September 2001.

Westminster

The objectives and performance indicators for Westminster’s anti-social behaviour plan are derived from the Westminster Community Safety Plan.

There are 26 tasks contained within the Community Safety Plan that forms the strategy to reduce disorder and anti-social behaviour throughout the borough.

Westminster borough consists of 15 sectors, each sector has its own action plan (derived from the Community Safety Plan) to reduce disorder and anti-social behaviour. In addition to this, Westminster borough also runs Operation Spotlight borough wide.

The borough work in partnership with the local authority and every week a joint tasking meeting takes place to ensure police and local authority activity complement one another.

Monitoring of the plan is carried out locally on a quarterly basis.

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