Extra officers to tackle anti-social behaviour in Gloucester

Extra police officers will be out on patrol in Gloucester city centre over the coming weekends to help tackle ongoing concerns around anti-social behaviour (ASB).

Additional funding is being provided by Gloucestershire's Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner as part of the Neighbourhood Problem Solving Fund.

The additional money is helping provide more officers on duty on Fridays and Saturdays until Saturday 5 December, between 2pm and 10pm.

Officers will be conducting high visibility patrols in and around Station Road to address concerns from the community concerns around alcohol-related ASB.

Licensing officers from the police and Gloucester City Council have been conducting joint visits over the last few weeks to speak to shop owners believed to be selling alcohol to known street drinkers. The shop owners have been issued with a warning letter reminding them of their licensing responsibilities.

Police are also continuing to make arrests following ongoing reports of ASB close to the Transport Hub in Gloucester.

During the last two weekends, officers have responded to:

• Six incidents of ASB reported to police have been dealt with directly by officers on these patrols;
• 45 alcohol seizures have been made under the Public Spaces Protection Order;
• 16 licensing visits have been made to shops suspected of selling high strength alcohol to street drinkers;
• one e-scooter has been seized;
• two arrests have been made - one of a man wanted on warrant, and the other of a man in his 50s on suspicion of indecent exposure.

Inspector James O’Neill, from Gloucester Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Following our recent week of action last month to tackle ongoing ASB in Gloucester, we have not stopped in our efforts to deal with this issue.

“People living and working in our city have a right to do so without fear, and we are determined to ensure anyone causing anti-social behaviour is suitably dealt with.”

Nick Evans, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Gloucestershire, said: “I want all our city and town centres to be places that people feel safe and want to visit.

"That’s why I created this targeted funding to be able to deal with ongoing issues like anti-social behaviour and help our councils, businesses and police all work together to make that happen.

"Alongside some much-needed high visibility patrolling that we know has a positive effect, we are also funding physical measures to deter those engaged in street drinking from congregating in this area and engaging with support services to provide practical help.

"We are helping to make everyone who lives, works and visits Gloucester feel safer.”