DEVON and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner has received £1 million from the Home Office to crackdown on antisocial behaviour (ASB) and serious violence in 16 key locations across the peninsula.

The funding will see patrols by police officers and street marshals in areas identified as hotspots from Devon and Cornwall police data.

This will form part of a wider Street Focus initiative led by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, working with a number of partners including local authorities to tackle issues in the community. 

ASB is a top concern for Devon and Cornwall residents, with surveys indicating that more are concerned with it than any other policing issue.  

Alison Hernandez, who has been returned as Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for a third term, has a renewed focus on ASB which forms one of her four Police and Crime Plan priorities.

The hotspot policing also aligns with the Commissioner’s priorities of tackling violence and drug misuse.

In recent years, the Commissioner has supported Devon and Cornwall Police’s Operation Loki which resulted in more than 150 arrests and 30,000 positive interactions with the community.  

Commissioner Hernandez said:  “We have taken significant steps in addressing ASB and combating serious violence. I am pleased that this funding will enable us to increase visible uniformed patrols in key areas.

“By working in partnership with our councils, we will deliver a reassuring presence in areas where the public feel most vulnerable. With targeted police and partner patrols, we’ll be where we’re needed most, helping to create safer communities.”

An additional £200,000 from the Commissioner will bolster the fund, maximising the number of partner patrols across Devon and Cornwall. 

Sixteen hotspot areas have been identified by analysing crime data for serious violence and antisocial behaviour last year. 

Six locations will receive additional police patrols and uniformed community patrols, such as marshals and street wardens. These locations include: Exeter city centre, Plymouth, Torquay town centre, Truro city centre, Newquay town centre and Barnstaple. 

Funding for additional uniformed community patrols has been agreed for: Bideford, Exmouth, Paignton, Penzance, Camborne, St Austell and Newton Abbot.