Giles Watling MP, Member of Parliament for Clacton, has today welcomed £1.1 million worth of further investment for Essex Police to tackle antisocial behaviour.
The funding will be spent on high-visibility patrols from Monday, as part of the Prime Minister's Anti-Social Behaviour Hotspot Visibility Pilot.
Mr Watling welcomed the announcement, after Clacton made headlines earlier this month as an "antisocial hotspot", despite antisocial behaviour in Clacton declining by 60% in the last 5 years according to Essex Police data. He had stressed after the headlines that it was important not to talk Clacton down or allow the papers to paint the constituency as overwhelmed by antisocial behavior when the figures don't support the claims.
Mr Watling said:
"When I read those headlines, I wrote immediately to the Essex Police, Fire, and Crime COmmisioner Roger Hirst to ask for context to the figures that were published, and to investigate whether or not increased visibility of police officers in Clacton would help deter antisocial behavior and reassure the public. I am very pleased to hear that these patrols will be in Clacton from next week, and I hope that residents feel reassured that public safety is a top priority. It is vitally important that people are able to enjoy public spaces without being subjected to antisocial behaviour, and I believe that this scheme is an important part of ensuring that."
The full pilot will involve liaising with local businesses and residents to provide advice, as well as identifying issues in Clacton that may exacerbate antisocial behaviour - and tackling it. This will include speed enforcement where cars and motorbikes are a nuisance, stop and search activities carried out by officers, and outreach with youth workers to identify and support youths at risk of offending.