City Beat: Festive patrols planned for Winter of Action in Peterborough
You may have seen recent reports concerning a multi-agency operation in Peterborough that seized thousands of pounds worth of illegal goods from shops in the city, writes Superintendent Ben Martin.
I’m really pleased with the results of this large-scale operation. Together with partners we seized illegal vapes, cigarettes, other tobacco products and alcohol worth nearly £280,000.
Selling illegal products like these, or not having the appropriate licence, is not a victimless crime. The sale of these items can often be linked to money laundering and even exploitation, not to mention the impact on hard working legitimate businesses who are operating within the law.
The three-week operation may have ended, but our work is not done. As well as seizing items, we are looking to secure closure orders on eleven outlets, some of which have been linked to anti-social behaviour (ASB).
Tackling ASB was a key theme of the Safer Streets Summer campaign we took part in earlier this year. It saw increased high visibility patrols in the city centre as both a deterrent and to deal with any behaviour witnessed.
This produced some excellent results, including arrests for drug offences, the enforcement of Public Space Protection Orders and a considerable amount of engagement with local people and businesses.
I’m pleased to say, the government has announced a Winter of Action as a follow-up campaign to continue this momentum.
Anti-social behaviour will again be a focus, with patrols to reassure the public and combat persistent issues. Our approach will combine enforcement with prevention, ensuring any anti-social behaviour is addressed swiftly and effectively.
As well as ASB, a key theme will be retail crime - focussing on prolific offenders and strengthening partnerships with local businesses.
Retail crime can have a significant impact on staff, particularly if thefts are accompanied with threats or even violence. I believe we have made some really good progress in this area, particularly with the introduction of the Spree Offender Team, but it’s important we continue to do all we can to tackle the issue and support businesses.
With the festive season fast approaching we will see an increase in the number of
people using the night-time economy to attend Christmas parties and celebrate with
friends. The third priority for the campaign links to this – aiming to reduce alcohol-
related disorder, violence, spiking and violence against women and girls.
We will have additional officer numbers in the city centre at peak times to help achieve this aim and reassure the public who are out celebrating. If that’s you, enjoy yourself, but please do so responsibly.
If an e-Scooter is on your child’s Christmas list this year, I’d like to remind you that they are illegal to use in public, unless part of a government scheme. A teenager was seriously injured in a collision when using one in the city recently, highlighting the dangers they can pose.
I’ll leave it there for now, but I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy Christmas and you’ll hear from me again in the New Year.