Closure orders and civil injunctions to continue in Bridge ward, including Yorke Drive, as anti-social behaviour crackdown remains a priority for Newark Neighbourhood Policing Team

An inspector vowed ‘we know who is causing the issues’ - as police promise to crackdown on one area's anti-social behaviour issues.

The Newark Neighbourhood Policing Team will continue to use closure orders and civil injunctions to tackle problem addresses and individuals in the area — and ensure these are followed using their powers of entry.

Inspector Charlotte Ellam, District Commander for Newark and Sherwood, recently set the latest local policing priorities for the districtand, for the Newark area and the Bridge ward and town centre in particular, anti-social behaviour is the main focus for officers.

The priorities are set based on crime data, feedback from the community, as well as through collaboration with partners such as Newark and Sherwood District Council, whose officers are also directly involved in tackling anti-social behaviour.

A particular area of concern is the Yorke Drive estate, where a number of closure orders have already been made — for addresses linked to alleged incidents of drug related activities and general anti-social behaviour.

Inspector Ellam said: “Everyone on the estate knows who is causing the issues, and we want to assure residents that we also know.”

Anyone who sees an injunction breach is encouraged to report it to the police via 101, or anonymously via Crimestoppers.

Residents can also stop to talk and raise any issues with officers out patrolling the area.

“We’ve had additional dedicated patrols in the area, and an additional dedicated car particularly over Halloween and bonfire night,” the District Commander added.

“We’re looking at every avenue we’ve got to deal with the issues — but we can only respond to what we know about.

“For me the priorities are increasing visibility, and targeting the individuals and addresses responsible.”

On the other side of the district, residents’ concerns regarding speeding and car cruising are to be addressed.

Sherwood’s officers priority for the next quarter is road safety and nuisance vehicles.

The area is a ‘different beast’, Inspector Ellam explained, due to how vast it is.

Particular issues include car meets which congregate off the M1 and in the Mansfield area, before moving across into the Sherwood area.

Using road traffic legislation to target offenders, officers will focus on seizing vehicles and issuing warnings where needed — while aiming to avoid displacing the meets to other areas rather than stopping them.

Officers who were previously part of Operation Reacher but, since its disbandment, now directly assist the beat managers in tasking roles, will also be deployed in the force’s ANPR car to assist.

While the priorities are set to respond directly to the main concerns of the community and crime trends in the areas, officers continue to respond to other issues.

Inspector Ellam said: “When people hear we are focusing on speeding and vehicle crime they ask why we’re not dealing with more serious crime, which I understand, but it’s what we’ve consistently heard from the community as a concern, and it’s not the only work we’re doing.

“We still do other work around crime and anti-social behaviour.”

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