Meet the forces Antisocial Behaviour team

Meet the forces Antisocial Behaviour (ASB) team. It is made up of three officers, PCs Suzy Willett, Emma Hardwick and Heather Elsworth who all have between 14 to 18 years’ service each, and is led by Sergeant Leon Gamble.

The team work closely with neighbourhood officers and offer support and guidance to them when dealing with ASB. This may involve dealing with victims, complainants or those committing the offences. 

Training also forms a large part of the role and sees them team regularly run best practise sessions on the Incremental Approach. This is a joint partnership collaboration involving community safety teams within local councils, housing providers and family wellbeing services. It is in place to ensure that those who cause ASB are dealt with appropriately. 

They also jointly deliver training on the best use of out of court powers - such as advice or warnings, as well as powers the courts could issue should out of court powers not work, such as civil injunctions or closure orders.

Another area of partnership working they are involved in is the delivery of a best practise initiative where partners meet to discuss problem solving, successful cases and any new diversionary schemes that can assist in supporting those that need further support.

The team also work with the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Partnership (LLR) enabling effective use of the joint ASB case management system, Sentinel. 

Sentinel is the dedicated ASB recording system used by all partners to manage cases of ASB. The system allows information to be shared. This collaboration can prevent further occurrences, it also allows the team to influence how the system works and how ASB is recorded, ensuring that those at risk, repeat victims or those in need of safeguarding, have access to support.

PC Heather Elsworth says: “Leicestershire Police are always looking for new and innovative ways to deal with ASB in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) alongside the powers that the Antisocial Behaviour Act 2014 gives us.  

“We use a variety of ways to contact members of the public to maximise engagement; we use social media, local radio and newspapers as well as face to face, telephone, text and email.   Officers have also been promoting Neighbourhood Link to engage with communities, let them know what we are doing and asking them to feedback the policing matters relevant to them. 

“My team provide advice to beat officers such as how to obtain a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) to reduce criminal related ASB in LLR.  For example, a beat officer in Leicester has successfully applied for two CBOs aimed at reducing criminal related ASB in and around shops. 

“Some of the prohibitions prevent the offenders from entering certain locations, associating with those they commit the offences / ASB with or for example carrying items that aid them to commit crime / ASB.

 “As a team we really enjoy delivering these training packages; it’s great to see officers and partners attending the sessions year after year to learn more about various different stages of the Incremental Approach. This allows us to hear and share ideas about what’s been done, if their approach worked successfully or if not, what steps they used next.

“We also run the training with all of our new student officers, the picture attached is from the most recent session which was run last week.”

If you have witnessed or are a victim of ASB then please report it to us, reports can be made via 101/(999 in an emergency) or online via www.leics.police.uk/reportonline.