New Anti-Social Behaviour Plan prioritises prevention and victim support 

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) can affect anyone. Whether it’s noise nuisance, street disorder or behaviour that is making you feel unsafe, the impact can be serious and long-lasting.  

Each year, we record more than 72,000 ASB incidents annually with around 85 per cent of these taking place in our cities and towns. 

Our ASB Plan (2026–2031) aims to: 

• Reduce ASB through early intervention, prevention and targeted enforcement 

• Improve how we identify ASB, including the early recognition of repeat and vulnerable victims 

• Strengthen local partnership working to better share information, manage interventions and safeguard vulnerable people 

• Enhance victim support, ensuring they are at the centre of our response 

The five-year strategy outlines a more streamlined, prevention-focused and victim-centred approach to tackling persistent issues, so our communities feel safer and better supported. 

Prevention and problem-solving 

Evidence-led policing is at the core of our ASB Plan. This means the data and intelligence we gather will drive operational activity, focusing police and partner resources where they are needed most.  

The government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee promises communities a visible and accessible local police presence and sustained problem-solving work, and a key part of the commitment is tackling ASB. Along with targeted patrols to disrupt and deter behaviours causing harassment, alarm and distress, named neighbourhood officers will continue to build relationships in their local area, understanding community concerns and listening to what matters most to you.  

We’re not just responding to incidents. We’re working to prevent them from happening in the first place. 

Protecting our public spaces 

We can see how this approach, for example tackling ASB associated with street drinking, is working in Weston-super-Mare.  

Persistent behaviour in the town centre has been making local people feel unsafe and intimidated when out and about, so our officers and partners are delivering a series of high-visibility, multi-agency operations. These have prioritised engaging with individual street drinkers and members of the homeless community, signposting and support initially, with the enforcement of police/council powers when needed – such as arrests, stop searches, seizures and Section 35 dispersals. 

Partner support from CCTV operators, Community Response, Street Wardens, St John’s Ambulance, YMCA and Somewhere to Go have been an invaluable part of the response to date, helping drive down ASB in public spaces, safeguard vulnerable people and reassure the local community. 

Working with partners 

Tackling ASB is not something the police can do alone. This is why we are introducing a simplified, multi-agency case review process across the five local authority areas: Bristol, Somerset, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.  

Through regular partnership meetings with local councils, housing providers, public health teams, CPS and community organisations, we will align local priorities, review cases, share information and coordinate safeguarding and enforcement activity. 

Meanwhile, partnership programmes such as youth offending and prevention schemes, substance misuse programmes and interventions like the Street Intervention Service in Bristol and Chance to Change deferred prosecution scheme will continue to help identify root causes and prevent escalation. This approach also avoids criminalising people unnecessarily, reducing the cost to taxpayers in the long term and securing better futures for people.  

By taking joint action, we can deliver better, longer-term solutions for our communities. 

Putting victims first 

If you’re affected by ASB, you should feel supported and heard.  

Our ASB plan sets forward a range of improvements to ensure every victim receives a clear, timely and supportive service. We will: 

• Identify and support vulnerable people sooner using analytical tools 

• Make it easier to report ASB through simplified online reporting 

• Allocate ASB-trained staff in police communications centres to oversee calls 24/7, improve the accuracy of triage, ensure appropriate safeguarding, and provide victims with better outcomes from the very first contact 

• Ensure every resident receives a fair, respectful and timely service through consistent victim updates, seeking to close the satisfaction gaps across different communities. 

A five-year journey 

Building safer communities is a shared priority with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. This plan reflects our joint commitment to reducing ASB and improving trust and confidence in our communities. 

Clare Moody, Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Anti-social behaviour has a profound impact on how safe and confident people feel in their communities. 

“Wherever I go this is an issue that is raised with me, it affects individuals, neighbourhoods, and local businesses in ways that can be both visible and deeply personal. 

“This is why it is part of the first priority in my Police and Crime Plan. 

“It is designed to strengthen community engagement; ensure close working with partners; improve problem-solving and prevention; and give policing the tools, capability and culture to tackle ASB, ensuring every report is taken seriously and handled consistently.” 

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Superintendent Stephanie McKenna, ASB Lead at Avon and Somerset Police, said: “Our new five-year plan sets out a clear and consistent approach to tackling anti-social behaviour, making it easier to report concerns, ensuring incidents are dealt with effectively, and putting victims at the centre of everything we do. Working closely with partners, we are focused on identifying vulnerability earlier, providing the right support and reducing repeat harm. 

“Neighbourhood policing plays a key role in this, focusing resources where they are needed most and preventing issues from escalating. 

“Our aim is to build safer, stronger communities where people feel supported, protected and confident in the service we provide.” 

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If somebody’s behaviour or actions are causing you harassment, alarm or distress, you deserve to be listened to and supported. You can report persistent anti-social behaviour by calling 101, or by completing our online web form: Report anti-social behaviour | Avon and Somerset Police