Special van to target anti-social behaviour in Gloucester

TROUBLE spots with a history of anti-social behaviour are

being targeted thanks to a special patrol van in Gloucester.

Project Solace, the city's Anti-Social Behaviour Team, has

set up a new scheme to tackle anti-social behaviour across Gloucester, starting

on Friday, October 26.

The scheme will see officers from Project Solace, Gloucester

Police, Gloucester City Homes and Environmental Protection patrolling the streets

of Gloucester in a special sign-written Police van.

Sara Taylor, Anti-Social Behaviour Manager for Project

Solace and Gloucester City Homes, said: "We are really excited to launch this

new ASB service for residents of Gloucester.

"As Investigating Officers we know that victims of ASB often

need an immediate response to the problems they are experiencing.

"Our ASB Patrol van will enable us to provide this as well

as immediate consequences to perpetrators.

"This is a pilot scheme but we are hoping to make it a

permanent fixture citywide and so we actively encourage residents affected by

ASB to get in touch with us on the patrol nights so that we can resolve as many

issues as possible."

The move aims to crack down on ASB as and when it is

reported in the evenings up until midnight.

Patrols will incorporate existing ASB cases, hotspot areas

and new issues that are reported by members of the public.

The team will be in touch with Gloucester City Homes' out of

hours reporting line and the Police contact centre throughout the evening to

attend incidents where possible.

Officers will also be on the lookout for new issues of ASB

to identify and resolve on the night.

Lloyd Griffiths, Environmental Protection Service Manager

from Gloucester City Council, said "Customer often tell us that they want a

service they can call on during out of hours if they are troubled and this is

one of way delivering that.

"It will also assist us directing resources in those

communities that need us most and will allow us to react to episodes of ASB in

a timely and co-ordinated fashion.

"As a city council we fully support this initiative as it

really is the essence of customer and community focus."

The scheme is being launched over Halloween and Bonfire

night, statistically the busiest time of the year for reports of anti-social

behaviour.

Anyone suffering from anti-social behaviour on nights that

Patrols are taking place is asked to report incidents via the Police 101 number

so that staff on the van can be aware of where they are needed.

Members of the public will also be able to contact Project

Solace through Facebook and Twitter on the night between 7pm-11pm to report

incidents for the team to attend.

The ASB Patrol Van will be patrolling on October 26 and November 2 until midnight and on October 31 until 10pm. 

If the scheme is a success, further Patrols will be planned

from December 2012 to May 2013.

The ASB Patrol Van also plans to attend scheduled events on

patrol nights to promote ASB services in the City; if you are a school or

community group holding a firework display or Halloween event and you would

like the ASB Van to attend, please contact Project Solace on 0800 408 2000.

Project Solace will be updating their Facebook and Twitter

throughout their patrols; follow them at facebook.com/ProjectSolaceASB or

@Project_Solace