North Wales Police shows support for ASB Awareness Week 2022

North Wales Police has joined a national campaign to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) and keep people in North Wales safe.

Running from July 18^th to July 22^nd, ASB Awareness Week 2022 aims to encourage communities to take a stand against ASB and highlight the actions that can be taken by those experiencing it. 

To mark the return of ASB Awareness Week for 2022, our neighbourhood policing teams across the force are taking part in a number of initiatives to show their support.

It comes after ASB was highlighted as one of the top issues that mattered most to communities across the region, as part of our major initiative ‘North Wales Talking’, launched earlier this year.

Organised by Resolve, the UK’s leading ASB and community safety organisation, the week features a series of events all across the UK involving councils, police forces, housing associations, charities, community groups and sports clubs.

Across North Wales, officers will be highlighting work already underway to tackle ASB in their areas this week, while conducting high visibility joint patrols with partner agencies, visiting targeted areas including town centres, beaches, and housing estates.

Anti-social driving exercises will also be carried out in designated areas across the region.

In Bangor, officers will be engaging with retailers as part of the crime fighting Shopwatch scheme, while youths will be encouraged to engage and chat with officers each day on Caernarfon Maes from 4pm until 8pm.

And in Bethesda, the neighbourhood policing team has secured funding to allow youths to participate in free football sessions in partnership with Plas Ffrancon Leisure Centre, who will also provide their 3G Astroturf pitch for the local secondary school children, costing £1 per session, which will be funded by North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT).

Throughout the week, Police and Crime Commissioner, Andy Dunbobbin will also join police officers on patrol across the force area, to see activity taking place to counter ASB in local communities.

 

Assistant Chief Constable, Chris Allsop (pictured) said: “Anti-social behaviour is a priority for North Wales Police, this awareness week offers an opportunity to highlight the issues of ASB and the impact it can have on local communities. We do not under-estimate the impact of anti-social behaviour and it is important for us to reach out to those who may be a victim of anti-social behaviour to provide them with the best possible support.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe where they live that is why tackling anti-social behaviour is an everyday commitment for us and our partners in North Wales. Our activities this week will highlight some of the work we undertake on a daily basis to support our communities and tackle ASB.

“I hope this event will help bring communities together to take a stand against ASB and provides an opportune moment for us all to remind ourselves of what we can do to keep North Wales safe and free from this kind of harm and upset.”

Recent YouGov research commissioned by Resolve found that more than half of people (56%) believe that ‘more needs to be done’ to tackle ASB in their community. However, after they witnessed or experienced ASB, a similar proportion of the public (57%) said that they did not report it to anyone.

North Wales Police is urging members of the public not to suffer in silence if they experience ASB.

Rebecca Bryant OBE, Chief Executive of Resolve added: “ASB is not low-level crime. It can have a long-lasting impact on the lives of victims and communities and can be a precursor to more serious crime.

“It is important that the challenge of ASB continues to be given the priority it needs so that people everywhere feel safe in their homes and communities.  

“We are delighted that North Wales Police is supporting this hugely important campaign. It is vital to develop partnership approaches across communities to deal with the growing challenges around ASB.”

There are now more ways than ever to tell us if you’re having problems with ASB. Incidents can be reported to the anti-social behaviour team at your local authority, or to the police via our online website or you can also call us on 101. If it is an emergency and you are in immediate risk or danger always calls 999.

We also encourage you to sign-up to our North Wales Community Alert. This is a free messaging service for people who live and work in North Wales to help our communities to stay informed and up to date with news, alerts, appeals, engagement events and general policing activities from your local policing activities from your local police teams.

It also gives our communities a great opportunity to provide feedback to their local neighbourhood police teams on the issues that matter most to them, helping us to work together to make North Wales the safest place in the UK.

You can register by visiting www.NorthWalesCommunityAlert.co.uk

For more information about ASB Awareness Week – visit www.resolveuk.org.uk/asbawarenessweek