Significant Steps to Tackle Increasing Antisocial Behaviour 

New combined efforts to tackle a rise in antisocial behaviour (ASB) incidents reported in Devon and Cornwall are already beginning to show positive results.

Latest data from Devon & Cornwall Police shows the number of recorded ASB incidents increased by 9.9 per cent over the past 12 months to February 2025.

Over the year period, 2,302 more incidents were recorded with the most common being rowdy/inconsiderate behaviour – around 65 per cent of all incidents – followed by rowdy nuisance neighbours and then street drinking behaviour.

ASB is defined as behaviour that has caused or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person.

The highest number of ASB offences were recorded in Exeter, with Torquay highlighted as the second most prolific area.

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, has listed ASB as one of the key priorities of the new Police and Crime Plan 2025-29 which sets out the strategic priorities for policing.

As part of her efforts to bring partners and organisations together to support victims, prevent crime and reduce reoffending around ASB offences, the Office of the Police Crime Commissioner (OPCC) recently hosted a Tackling Antisocial Behaviour Together Conference.

Representatives, including from the police, local authority, local councillors volunteering as councillor advocates, and OPCC commissioned services and Community Safety Partnership, heard how key initiatives funded by the OPCC and other sources – alongside collaborative working – are delivering improved outcomes.

The initiatives include:

• Hotspot policing
• Street marshals

• Safer Streets project

• ASB Victim Support Service

• ASB Youth Outreach Service

• Dedicated ASB police legal advisor

• ASB Mediation Service

• Councillor advocate scheme

It has led to significant progress being made in tackling ASB, as well as reducing violence, in problem areas across the peninsula. Benefits are also being seen from an effective tool called the ASB Case Review which empowers repeat victims of ASB to ask for a review of the actions of partner agencies have taken to resolve their concerns.

Alison assured she remains committed to commissioning ASB services for victims, reducing re-offending and prevention services, and praised the “outstanding” work that has been carried out by all partners through invaluable collaboration.

She said: “It is important to understand the challenges in Devon and Cornwall with ASB, including the scale and breadth of the problem. Tackling it can and is being achieved using powers available to deal with ASB by policing and community safety partners at an officer and political leadership level.

“Our communities are frustrated by persistent ASB and policing alone can’t tackle it. The underlying issues falls others to help prevent, whether that’s families, local authorities, health services and housing. The new Crime and Police Bill will help us all be more robust and stop pushing victims from pillar to post.

“The ASB Case Review is an under promoted tool by us all and we can help better as a team when they are requested.”

Last month, it was confirmed the OPCC will receive Home Office funding for the second time to deliver hotspot policing – a data-driven method of targeted patrolling to tackle ASB and serious crime in areas where it is most prevalent.

In 2024-25, it was awarded £1million resulting in more than 22,000 hours of foot patrols being carried out by police, and also street marshals who have limited policing powers to tackle ASB.

Current data shows they attended 1,376 reported ASB incidents, made 204 arrests, used policing powers 949 times, and engaged with almost 79,000 members of the public. The hotspot policing initiative has also benefited from an additional £200,000 funded by the OPCC for partnership patrols.

Chief Inspector Dom Nicholls, the Hotspot Policing Lead for Devon and Cornwall, said that only nine months into the project, people are already starting to feel safer. The specifics of the new funding allocation are yet to be finalised, but it is hoped it will help achieve greater successes in the near future.

At the Tackling Antisocial Behaviour Together Conference, the project was praised as an initial “success” by Councillor Mike Joyce, of Newton Abbot Town Council, stating he had already seen the difference it has made in the town and hopes for its continuation.

Also applauded was how Devon & Cornwall Police, in partnership with Plymouth City Council, has introduced the Evening and Night-time Economy Predatory Behaviour Disruption Partnership which aims to prevent violence against women and girls. It also comes under the definition of ASB as it is not behaviour that would come under the threshold of a criminal investigation.

During a 12-month pilot from November 2023-24, the behaviour of 43 individuals – all men and aged between 22 to 77 years old – exhibiting predatory behaviour was reviewed.

It resulted in 12 Community Protection Warnings (CPWs) being issued, with many being excluded from the night-time area, and other actions being taken. None of the 43 were found to have exhibited further predatory behaviour or offending.

Christina Browning, Community Safety Manager for Plymouth City Council, said it showed how “effective” early intervention is.

Acknowledgement was also given to the successful outcomes of being able to swiftly issue community protection warnings and notices, or pursuing civil injunctions and closure experts, following the appointment in September 2024, of a Devon and Cornwall Police legal advisor and paralegal funded by the OPCC.

Police have already secured 14 closure orders – evicting a tenant from a property for three months into alternative accommodation – compared with just two in 2022.

ASB force legal advisor Machaela O’Brien said she hoped those successes will increase reporting from residents who are being impacted by ASB, and also build on “confidence and trust” in the force.

If you are being impacted by ASB, the OPCC funds the Devon and Cornwall Victim Support ASB Service. It is a free, independent and confidential support and advocacy service for those over 18 experiencing both crimed and non-crimed ASB.

For more details, call your local Victim Support team on 0300 303 0554 or visit https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/resources/devon-and-cornwall

Lines are open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. For out-of-hours support, call the free support line on 0808 1689 111.