Good Safe Summer: ASB Awareness Week

Good Safe Summer: ASB Awareness Week

ASB Awareness Week is an important opportunity to shine a spotlight on an issue that affects communities across the country and one I know matters greatly to residents here in Dorset.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) takes many forms. It can be persistent noise, vandalism, intimidation, nuisance behaviour, the misuse of public spaces or any activity that leaves people feeling uncomfortable or unsafe in their own neighbourhood. While individual incidents may seem minor, their cumulative impact can be profound, damaging people's wellbeing, confidence and quality of life.

Since becoming Police and Crime Commissioner, I have heard time and again about the impact ASB has on people's daily lives. Residents want to feel safe where they live. They want their concerns to be taken seriously, and, above all, they want to know that action is being taken.

That is why tackling ASB remains one of my key priorities. It requires a coordinated response from policing, local authorities, housing providers and other partners, working together to support victims, tackle the root causes, ensure CCTV and streetlights are working, and take enforcement action where necessary. This joined-up approach is delivering results. Reports of ASB in Dorset are now at their lowest level since 2008. However, I know those statistics offer little comfort if the problem is happening outside your front door. Every victim deserves to feel heard and supported, and I want to reassure residents that Dorset Police and I remain fully committed to tackling ASB wherever it occurs.

Dorset Police has continued to take robust action to tackle anti-social behaviour. Building on the successes of 2024/25, the Force secured a further £1 million from the Home Office Hotspot Action Fund for 2025/26, enabling additional high-visibility patrols to tackle ASB and violent crime in hotspot areas, including Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth. Over the past year, the scheme has also expanded to cover hotspots in Blandford, Wimborne and Swanage.

Alongside this, Operation Track has delivered more than 9,000 hours of targeted patrols in ASB hotspots across the county. Tackling anti-social behaviour is also a key part of Dorset Police's Good Safe Summer campaign, with increased patrols in hotspot locations, an additional 40 neighbourhood policing officers on the ground and robust enforcement action helping to keep communities safe.

But enforcement is only part of the solution. If we want safer communities for the future, we must also invest in prevention, education and opportunities that help steer people away from anti-social behaviour before it starts. That is why I established the Operation Relentless Community Fund in 2021. Since then, the fund has supported 53 local projects with more than £210,000 of investment. These projects have included skateboarding sessions for young people, employability programmes for people leaving prison, CCTV in ASB hotspots and one-to-one mentoring for vulnerable young people.

In March 2026, my office opened the sixth round of funding, and I am delighted to announce that a further 11 projects have been awarded a total of nearly £45,000. I look forward to seeing the positive difference these initiatives will make in communities across Dorset.

Tackling anti-social behaviour is not about one organisation or one initiative - it is about all of us working together. By combining strong enforcement with early intervention and community investment, we can continue to make Dorset a place where people not only feel safe but are safe. That is the standard our communities deserve, and it is one I will continue working tirelessly to deliver.

David Sidwick

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner