Stockton North MP, Alex Cunningham, has stressed the need for more visible policing following a meeting with Police and Crime Commissioner Barry Coppinger on Friday 10 November.
The meeting was called by Alex after a number of constituents had approached him with concerns about the apparent upsurge in anti-social behaviour across Stockton North including Roseworth, Billingham, Portrack and Newham Grange. The Assistant Chief Constable of Cleveland Police and other senior officers were in attendance alongside Alex and Barry Coppinger.
Alex heard that while there was a 4% reduction in reported anti-social behaviour in comparison to the same period in 2016, Cleveland Police were taking all incidents seriously and implementing a number of measures including:
- Identifying the young people involved and carrying out parental visits;
- Issuing Community Protection Orders where necessary;
- Holding daily anti-social behaviour reviews;
- Engaging with the communities involved, including local residents’ groups and councillors, to tackle the underlying issues.
In Billingham, where dispersal orders had been in place, Cleveland Police informed Alex that they were working with local councillors and the Town Council to have bushes – used by young people to hide while throwing stones at cars – cut back, upgrade the lighting and CCTV in John Whitehead park, and increase the patrols of the Town Council’s enforcement officer.
Alex said:
I was pleased to hear from Cleveland Police that there is a lot going on to tackle these incidents, and that they are taking the issue seriously. However I stressed that what people want most of all, is to see their local police officers and PCSOs out and about in their neighbourhoods and responding more quickly when incidents are reported.
To do this however, Cleveland Police require more funding from central government and unfortunately this does not appear to be forthcoming. I will continue to press the Government and Cleveland Police to put more visible police on the streets.”
