Policing demonstrates commitment to ASB crackdown

• Police record more than one million incidents of anti-social behaviour (ASB) every year
• Dedicated ASB leads are now in place in every police force across England and Wales
• Public ASB action plans show how each police force is committing to cracking down on ASB

Police forces are renewing their commitment to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) amidst a widespread crackdown in cities, towns and villages across the country.

Dedicated operations targeting town centres, street drinking and e-scooters have led to major reductions in criminal and anti-social behaviour in different areas, according to figures collated by the National Police Chiefs’ Council.

As part of national ASB Awareness Week, which is being led by Resolve between 29 June and 5 July, police forces across the UK will be taking further action to disrupt ASB which blights different communities.

ASB remains a significant and deeply damaging issue affecting communities across the UK, with millions of people continuing to experience ASB in their daily lives, and people reporting it had made them feel unsafe, impacted their mental health or caused them to miss work or move home.

T/Deputy Chief Constable Catherine Akehurst, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for ASB, said: 

"What may seem low level to some can, for others, undermine their sense of safety, erode pride in their neighbourhoods, and diminish overall quality of life.

“It can isolate people, damage community cohesion, and weaken the trust that the public places in policing and partner agencies. To tackle this, our intention is to create stronger partnerships that allow us to gather and use local intelligence more effectively.

“Police record more than one million incidents of ASB every year. We are tackling offenders through a variety of tactics from arrests, to stop and search, targeted patrols, closing properties and subjecting criminals to orders which control their behaviour. However, a significant focus for policing has been to improve partnership working when it comes to responding to ASB.”

Over the last year, there has been significant investment from policing and government to improve the response to ASB, as part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee (NPG).

Since the guarantee was announced in April 2025, dedicated ASB leads have been appointed in all 43 police forces within England and Wales to work with partners and communities to produce meaningful ASB action plans, which have now been published on force websites, as of April this year.

Another key part of the NPG sets out that neighbourhood policing teams will have tougher powers to tackle persistent ASB.

T/DCC Akehurst added:

“Under the Crime and Policing Act 2026, police will have tougher powers to tackle persistent ASB, including new ‘Respect Orders’ to enable swift enforcement against prolific offenders. We are working closely with the Home Office to support the implementation of these new measures once they come into force.

“ASB is not something policing can tackle alone, which is why we are grateful for the support of Resolve to shine a light on this important topic. The public and all partner agencies must work together. We all have a part to play, from ensuring justice is served while prioritising rehabilitation and support to break cycles of criminal and anti-social behaviour.

“Our commitment must extend beyond responding to incidents alone. We must actively listen to our communities, understand the issues that shape their daily lives, and take visible, meaningful action. When this is done well, we not only reduce harm but rebuild confidence and resilience where it is most needed.

“By working together, we can better protect people, enhance local quality of life, and reinforce the trust that underpins legitimate and effective policing.”

Rebecca Bryant, Chief Executive of Resolve, said:

“ASB Awareness Week is an important campaign with a national message where frontline practitioners come together helping to bring awareness of anti‑social behaviour being a major concern for communities.

“It is a deeply disruptive issue that affects how safe people feel, their wellbeing and, for some, whether they can remain in their home. ASB Awareness Week is about raising awareness, improving confidence in reporting and strengthening the partnerships needed to respond effectively. We are delighted that the NPCC is supporting this vital campaign.”

Crime and Policing Minister, Sarah Jones, said:

“Anti‑social behaviour is pernicious and chips away at pride in our neighbourhoods. This week is about showing communities that we will not tolerate it.

“Through our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, every community now has named, contactable officers. We’ve put dedicated anti‑social behaviour leads into every force to drive action and crackdown on ASB.

“We’re putting 13,000 more officers in neighbourhood roles, and new Respect Orders will give police stronger powers to stop persistent offenders and address the root causes of ASB.”

Joint Local Policing Leads for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), Chris Nelson (Gloucestershire PCC) and Matt Storey (Cleveland PCC), said:

“Everyone should be able to live safely and peacefully in their own community, so research showing anti-social behaviour (ASB) is getting worse and that fewer people are reporting it is very concerning.

“As the voice of the public in policing, Police and Crime Commissioners and Deputy Mayors understand the damaging impact ASB has on people’s lives. We are totally committed to crime prevention, ensuring an effective police response and to working with our partners locally to provide support for victims, including the right to request a multi-agency review of how a case of persistent anti-social behaviour has been handled.”