Extra police funding to tackle antisocial behaviour

Home Secretary James Cleverly said getting more officers out on the streets was "vital for public confidence"

Police forces in the region have been given extra funding to tackle anti-social behaviour and serious violence.

The Home Office has allocated more than £4m across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Derbyshire.

It will pay for extra police patrols in areas identified as anti-social behaviour hotspots.

A similar police programme received slightly more funding last year in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

The government is set to award a total £66m to police forces in England and Wales as part of its action plan for the 2024-25 financial year.

Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire were both allocated about £1.5m, while Derbyshire is set to receive the minimum £1m.

About £1m of the funding is allocated to tackling anti-social behaviour, with the rest earmarked to support the Home Office's serious violence policing programme.

Additional funding was made available 2023-24 to support Violence Reduction Units (VRUs), which bring together several organisations to tackle the causes of serious violence and run a range of early intervention and prevention programmes.

Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire both received over £1.05m in funding for VRUs, with a further £590,000 and £660,000 added respectively for serious violence.

This year's funding is expected to allow each of the 43 forces to launch uniformed patrols for up to an estimated 20,000 hours a year in so-called "hotspot" areas where there are high levels of violence and disorder.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said: "Our plan will put more officers on patrol in local communities up and down the country - an approach that has been proven to work, to help ensure that people are not only safe, but that they feel safe, in their neighbourhoods."

Rupert Matthews, police and crime commissioner for Leicestershire and Rutland said a project team is already working on details of how to use the funding and work is expected to get underway in April.

"People tell me constantly that they are concerned about anti-social behaviour," Mr Matthews said. "And I understand their feelings of both fear and frustration.

"This funding will boost my ongoing drive to prevent crime and ensure that swift and robust action is taken to protect our communities from ASB."

Nottinghamshire police and crime commissioner Caroline Henry said she had pushed the government for more investment to tackle anti-social behaviour, which can "blight the lives of residents"

Ms Henry said: "It is something we are taking really seriously which is why we have the anti-social behaviour task force to help prevent incidents and support people affected by anti-social behaviour.

"I want to encourage people to report anti-social behaviour so we know where all the hotspots are and this will help our partners in the police and local authorities to target resources effectively."