Police officers are cutting anti-social behaviour in the county by working hundreds of extra hours on the streets of Cumbria as part of Operation Enhance – with antisocial behaviour in hotspot areas down 36.7 per cent compared to last year.

Operation Enhance sees extra police patrols in areas identified as hotspots for anti-social behaviour and/or serious violence across the county.

The operation has been made possible thanks to £1 million of extra funding secured by Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner from the Government’s Hotspot Response Fund to target anti-social behaviour (ASB) and serious violence in hotspot areas across the county.

The operation sees extra patrols in 18 areas identified by statistical analysis as the county's hotspot areas of anti-social behaviour and serious violence. These areas include areas of Carlisle, Barrow, Workington, Whitehaven, Kendal, Penrith, Maryport, Cleator Moor, Ulverston and Bowness-on-Windermere.

The operation has so far coincided with a significant reduction in antisocial behaviour across the hotspot areas compared to the previous year whilst serious violence is down considerably in hotspot areas when compared to the rest of the county.

Three months into the operation, more than 720 hours of additional patrols have been undertaken – including 240 hours in September alone.

Over the first three months of the operation 115 stop and searches have been conducted, 309 intelligence submissions have been submitted and ASB powers have been used on 11 occasions.

In addition, the Operation Enhance officers have made a total of 33 arrests – with 11 of those arrests occurring during September.

The operation has so far coincided with a significant reduction in antisocial behaviour across the hotspot areas, compared to the previous year whilst instances of serious violence are reduced significantly in hotspot areas, compared to the rest of the county.

Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen, said: “Tackling anti-social behaviour is one of my key priorities and is also a public priority highlighted to me by the public in my recent Police, Fire and Crime Survey. It will be the number one priority in my forthcoming Police, Fire and Crime Plan.

“This funding has helped put extra patrols in our hotspot areas and tackle ASB and serious violence.

“These extra patrols are combatting these crime types and I hope that our residents are seeing a difference and feel safer in their own communities.

“Tackling crime is the priority but I also want to see the wider effects less crime has on our great county. I want our residents and visitors to feel safer, to see less criminal or nuisance behaviour and to have growing trust in their Policing services.

“If you live in one of the Hotspots – which you can find on the Cumbria Police website – and have or haven’t seen a difference, please let me know at //commissioner@cumbria-pcc.gov.uk. I am your voice in Policing and I want to hear your views.”

The increased patrols in the target areas began on 1st July and these patrols will continue to operate through until at least the end of March 2025.

T/Chief Superintendent Andy Wilkinson said: “Three months into this operation and what we are seeing is a tangible and significant impact on antisocial behaviour and instances of serious violence in the targeted communities.

“Whilst the primary purpose of the operation is increased visibility, I am proud that officers are also swift to respond to breaking incidents in their locality. Their swift actions is resulting in people who negatively impact their own communities via drugs offences or shoplifting being arrested and taken to custody.

“Our hotspot patrol officers on the ground are feeding back the positivity they are seeing on the ground – from praise for action taken against youths to shopkeepers reporting seeing a reduction in shoplifting.

“The funding secured by the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office has ensured we are fully committed to this operation well into 2025 so will continue to be seen and action will continue to be taken in the weeks and months ahead.”

As part of the operation, the public is encouraged to report antisocial behaviour by visiting the constabulary’s website //Report antisocial behaviour | Cumbria Police  or our non-emergency number 101.

In an emergency always call 999. Information and intelligence from the public is vital so we can work together to tackle issues in their communities.

Find out more about Operation Enhance: //Op Enhance | Cumbria Police