A programme designed to improve the lives of young people has had a significant impact on deterring and reducing antisocial behaviour in Beeston.
The force launched Operation Potassium in 2022 after businesses and members of the public reported groups of young people causing a nuisance in Beeston and Chilwell.
This included stones being thrown at windows, the public feeling intimidated by shouting and foul language in town centres, and use of the tram network without paying for tickets.
The Beeston neighbourhood policing team began increasing uniformed patrols in response to deter instances of antisocial behaviour. It established two dedicated officers tasked every day solely to respond to youth-related incidents.
Between 2022 and 2023 all three measures of antisocial behaviour had reduced following targeted police action.
Environmental behaviour, which affects public spaces or buildings, nuisance behaviour, which causes suffering to a community, and personal behaviour, which targets a specific individual or group, have each decreased by 37, 12, and 23 per cent.
Officers worked closely with partners including Broxtowe Borough Council and Nottinghamshire-based charity Transform Training to deliver a 12-month programme to support vulnerable and disadvantaged young people, which has recently concluded.
Specialist youth workers engaged with two groups of young people, aged under and over 13, to provide one-to-one support and group activities, which prevented some individuals from progressing to more serious offences.
The staff offered a welcoming environment for young people twice a week to address a lack of provision in the area and engage with them, monitor their attendance, and form relationships to build trust and confidence.
Affected businesses also responded in partnership with the police action by increasing security staffing, restricting access to Wi-Fi, and addressing ticket enforcement, which ultimately helped improve the effectiveness of the initiative.
Operation Potassium has since concluded following a significant reduction in antisocial behaviour that has returned to a manageable level, with officers continuing to patrol the area.
An increase in antisocial behaviour has not been recorded since, however, should further issues arise, the initiative can be reviewed.
PC Sam Gledhill, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Beeston neighbourhood policing team, said: “Operation Potassium has been a real success.
“Not only has this initiative improved the outcomes of young people, but we have seen a significant reduction in antisocial behaviour in our communities.
“We take the concerns of our residents and businesses really seriously and we will not hesitate to respond when they contact us.
“There comes a threshold where the behaviour of young people will no longer be tolerated and their actions have consequences, which can include a community resolution or youth conditional caution.
“This initiative is a testament to what can be achieved when partners work collaboratively to address and prevent the root causes of antisocial behaviour.”
