The discontinued ‘hot spot policing’ initiative saw a five per cent decrease in anti-social behaviour while running in Spalding, according to recently released figures.
The Spalding Neighbourhood Board, set up to spend £20m of government money over 10 years, funded overtime patrols of the town from March 17 until January 31 this year.
However, Lincolnshire Police said it could not continue due to it moving staff from its neighbourhood teams to ‘front line policing’.
The report annual report by Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones highlights the success of the ‘hot spot policing’ that was also trialled in other towns before being brought to Spalding by the Neighbourhood Board’s funding.
“The project resulted in more than 1,200 hours of additional foot patrols across the area,” the report states. “This resulted in 17 stop and searches being undertaken, 17 arrests made, and 108 ASB powers used.
“As a result, the Spalding hotspot area observed a five per cent decrease in ASB, and a three per cent decrease in serious violence.”
The report welcomes an extra £50m that’s been given by central government but warns that it while it will be able to employe more officers, it will take time to train them.
“This additional funding provides the force with the opportunity to adopt an operating model based upon 1,218 police officers and 50 PCSOs – which represents an increase of 28 officers,” it states. “Despite this additional funding it will take time to recruit and train additional recruits and the effects of Operation Glidepath (moving officers to front line services) are likely to remain for months, but the outlook is positive and, though the short to medium term finances have been improved, the PCC will continue to fight for a revision to the funding formula.”
In response to the ending of the ‘hot spot policing’ the Spalding Neighbourhood Board announced in April it would fund more community wardens and employ a private security firm to patrol the town centre while the new wardens were being trained.
The Voice asked the board for an update on how this project was progressing but it had not been provided at the time of publication.
The Spalding Neighbourhood Board does not meet in public and its website (www.lovespalding.co.uk), which still uses the old name of Spalding Town Board, has not been updated in recent months.
No minutes or agendas for what are meant to be monthly meetings have been published since its meeting on February 9.
