OFFICERS across Cheshire raised awareness for Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) in a week of action which ran from Monday, July 18 to Friday, July 22.

The week involved all nine Local Policing Units (LPUs) in Cheshire, focusing on engaging with their communities to tackle anti-social behaviour.

For the Chester LPU, ASB awareness week events were well attended and involved co-operation with partners with a focus on youth ASB and water safety around areas in Chester, most notably the River Dee following the sad death of a teenager last summer.

There were dedicated events regarding water safety on Thursday and Friday, attended by Cheshire Police Officers and Police Community Support Officers, Cheshire Fire and Rescue, Canal and Rivers Trust, Sanctuary Housing, Chester against Business Crime, Cheshire West, and Chester Council (including Public Protection services, youth service and Localities staff), ForFutures Outreach workers and Brio Leisure.

There was positive community engagement as a result. The Cheshire West and Chester River patrol was in operation on the Dee during this period.

Cheshire Police and CWaC Public Protection Patrols were carried out in hot spot areas throughout the week across the Chester area but notably including the Rows, Foregate Street and Grosvenor Park as well as along the River Dee.

Groups of youths were engaged by both council and Police officers and advised accordingly. Some enforcement took place regarding dog fouling in the city and smoking on the Rows, resulting in a number of fixed penalty notices.

In the run up and during the course of the week a number of community resolutions by Chester ASB Unit/Cheshire Police PCs and PCSO involving the removal of graffiti took place following the identification of a number of individuals for painting graffiti in the city.

A Community Protection Notice is also being prepared against an individual following persistent issues that had led to a number of complaints being received.

The youth service, housing and public protection service staff were involved in a youth diversionary event in Lache on Friday which was well attended and involved Panna football, arts and crafts and other sporting activity.

For the Ellesmere Port LPU, on Monday and Tuesday officers focused on high visibility around hotspot areas on the Westminster Estate to support community reassurance following a serious incident the previous week. Housing officers supported the graffiti copping efforts.

On Wednesday the inflatable football pitch was erected in Parkgate as an engagement event with primary school children – the pitch was due in Whitby Park on Tuesday but was moved owing to the extreme weather.

Also on Wednesday, a misuse of drugs act warrant was executed at a premises linked to local ASB – one man arrested having been wanted on a warrant.

On Thursday, a strike day was executed as part of targeting an organised crime gang linked to drug supply. Neighbours of properties previously targeted were revisited for support for closure orders.

The weekend saw the LPU focusing on engagement with businesses at the Coliseum and high visibility patrolling.

Superintendent Gary Smith, who is the lead for Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week at Cheshire Constabulary said: “It has been a successful week for Cheshire Police during Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week, across the force, with plenty of engagement with the local community.

“We put a focus on working with partners for this year’s ASB Awareness Week, and it is clear to see that working with our partners has helped officers to get messages to the public.

“ASB can include things such as graffiti, littering and off-road motorcycles within the community and this activity creates an environment where more serious crime can take place.

“This type of behaviour might not seem serious to some people, but it can cause misery to local neighbourhoods, and I hope this week has shown if we all work together, we can have a positive impact and drive down the levels of ASB.

“I would like to continue to urge anyone who feels that they are or have been a victim of ASB to get in touch with Cheshire Constabulary by calling 101 or reporting it via https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report/asb/asb/report-antisocial-behaviour”

Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer said: "It's great to see the Constabulary take this action throughout ASB awareness week. It shows that we're serious about targeting perpetrators of ASB in Cheshire.

"I mention tackling ASB in my Police and Crime Plan because everyone deserves to live in a safe community, free from these sorts of incidents, and it's vital for the police to work with local people to achieve this.

"My thanks go to all the officers involved in operations across ASB awareness week, and I want to reassure residents of our commitment to make Cheshire even safer."