£1.5m Home Office funding boost to provide additional high-visibility police foot patrols in Newark and across Nottinghamshire
A £1.5m funding boost is to bring more high-visibility police foot patrols in crime hotspots — including in two areas in Newark.
The Home Office-funded Hotspot Action Fund (HAF) has been extended for another year, with a fresh injection of £1.5m in government funding.
The scheme has already rolled out thousands of hours of additional high-visibility foot patrols in crime hotspots across Nottinghamshire, aimed at tackling serious violence, knife crime, and anti-social behaviour.
Twenty areas have been identified for a share of the 2025-26 allocation of £1,529,097 — including Newark Castle and in and around Newark town centre.
The fund supports officers to take overtime work to provide a blend of high-visibility patrols and problem-oriented policing to address both the symptoms and root causes of crime and create safer communities.
Superintendent Heather Maelor, head of Nottinghamshire Police’s Prevention Hub which is coordinating the Hotspot Action Fund, said: “I am really pleased that the force has received more funding from the Home Office this year as it gives us the opportunity to build on the success of our high-visibility hotspot policing.
“It will ensure that the public continue to see more police on the streets which is what they often tell us they want to see in their communities.
“Targeted hotspot policing continues to pay dividends in helping us to keep people safe, prevent crime, drive down violence, and provide reassurance.
"These hotspot patrols remain a key part of our success in deterring and reducing offending, as well as improving our engagement with communities and young people.
“Preventing crime before it happens and having the resources to target it where we know it’s happening is a crucial part of keeping our communities safe.
"This additional funding will enable us to provide dedicated resources to tackle such behaviour in areas of Nottinghamshire where our communities are most affected.
“These extra patrols have also meant our officers have been in the right places at the right times to take swift and decisive action when incidents have occurred.”
Between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, there were 12,719 extra high-visibility police officer patrol hours and 5,258 local authority patrols carried out in hotspot areas under the previous round of Home Office funding.
In May alone, there were a total of 1,196 hours of high-visibility patrols, alongside 233 local authority patrols which led to 17 arrests, 14 stop and searches, and 35 instances where officers used their powers to tackle anti-social behaviour.
Previous statistics have shown that serious violence fell by nearly 6% in areas where hotspot patrols were operating, and anti-social behaviour offences also fell by 8.2% in these areas.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden added: "This continued investment from the Home Office is making a tangible difference on the ground in Nottinghamshire.
"We know that visible policing works — whether it’s deterring crime, disrupting serious violence, or simply giving communities the confidence to enjoy their public spaces without fear.
"These patrols are not just about enforcement — they’re about prevention, visibility and connection with the public.
"I’m proud of the results we’ve seen so far, and this new round of funding will allow us to go even further in making our streets safer and our communities stronger.”
As well as increased hotspot patrols, more money from the fund is set to go towards funding other crime prevention initiatives and resources in certain hotspot areas as the year progresses.
Residents are encouraged to report concerns in their areas, helping to guide future efforts and ensure resources are deployed where they’re most needed.
Details on how to report anti-social behaviour can be found on the force’s website.
