Victoria

Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour and Improving Community Safety

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) continues to be a significant concern for residents, businesses, and partner agencies across the ward, particularly in and around York Road and the bottom of the ramp area. While ongoing partnership activity and targeted policing have resulted in positive progress, residents continue to report concerns relating to nuisance behaviour, public disorder, street drinking, begging, and incidents linked to crime and vulnerability. There is also concern regarding the impact that enforcement and engagement activity can have on neighbouring streets, where issues can sometimes disperse into surrounding residential and commercial areas.
Residents and businesses have identified begging and aggressive begging as ongoing concerns. While we recognise that some individuals involved may be vulnerable and require support, aggressive begging can cause fear, intimidation, and distress to members of the public. Working closely with local authority teams, housing providers, outreach services, and other partners, Cleveland Police will continue to address these issues through a balanced approach of engagement, safeguarding, support, and enforcement where appropriate. Our aim is to ensure that vulnerable individuals are directed towards available services while addressing behaviours that negatively affect the wider community.
A key aspect of our response is Operation Aster, which continues to deliver significant reductions in both anti-social behaviour and crime within the area. Through increased visibility, targeted patrols, intelligence-led activity, and close partnership working, the operation has helped improve community safety and reduce the impact of those individuals responsible for causing the greatest levels of harm. We will continue to build on this success while remaining mindful of displacement into surrounding locations and ensuring that affected communities receive an appropriate policing response.
Our priority is to reduce the impact of ASB through high-visibility policing, proactive engagement, and effective problem-solving. Officers will continue to patrol identified hotspot areas, gather intelligence, and work closely with residents and businesses to understand emerging concerns and adapt our response accordingly.
Prevention and early intervention remain central to our approach. We will continue to work with schools, education providers, youth services, housing partners, and community organisations to support young people and vulnerable individuals who may be involved in or affected by anti-social behaviour. Where necessary, robust enforcement action will be taken using powers such as Community Protection Notices, Criminal Behaviour Orders, and other appropriate interventions.
Through increased visibility, Operation Aster, proactive policing, community engagement, and strong partnership working, we will continue to tackle anti-social behaviour, address concerns around begging and aggressive begging, and improve safety across the ward. Our aim is to ensure that York Road, the bottom of the ramp, surrounding neighbourhoods, and the wider community remain safe, welcoming places where residents, visitors, and businesses can thrive.

Tackling Drug Dealing and Substance Misuse

Drug dealing and substance misuse have been identified by residents and community partners as ongoing issues affecting the ward, and Cleveland Police remain committed to proactively tackling both the supply and use of controlled drugs. We recognise the significant harm that drug-related activity causes to individuals, families, neighbourhoods, and local businesses, as well as the risks it poses to young and vulnerable people who may be exploited by those involved in criminal networks.
Our priority is to reduce the impact of drug-related crime by targeting those individuals who profit from the supply of illegal substances and cause the greatest harm within our communities. Through proactive policing, intelligence-led operations, and targeted patrols, officers will continue to identify and disrupt those involved in drug dealing and associated criminality. Recent enforcement activity has demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach, with a number of drug-related arrests resulting from proactive police encounters that have identified controlled substances and uncovered wider criminal activity.
Protecting vulnerable people remains central to our response. Criminals involved in drug supply often seek to exploit children, young people, and adults who may be vulnerable due to personal circumstances. We will continue to work with safeguarding partners and specialist services to identify those at risk, provide appropriate support,
and ensure that offenders who exploit others are robustly dealt with through the criminal justice system.
We also recognise the links between drug dealing and other forms of criminality, including the sale of illegal cigarettes, tobacco, and vapes. These products present significant health risks and can provide a source of income for organised crime groups. Working alongside partners, including Trading Standards and local authority teams, we will continue to target those involved in the sale and distribution of illicit goods to disrupt criminal activity and protect the wider community.
Education and prevention are key elements of our long-term approach. Officers will continue to engage with schools, colleges, youth groups, and community organisations to raise awareness of the dangers associated with drug and substance misuse. By helping young people understand the health risks, legal consequences, and potential for exploitation, we aim to build resilience and prevent involvement in drug-related activity before it begins.
Working closely with local authorities, housing providers, health services, community organisations, and residents, Cleveland Police will continue to take a coordinated approach that combines enforcement, safeguarding, prevention, and education. Through strong partnership working and proactive policing, we will continue to reduce drug-related harm, disrupt criminal networks, safeguard vulnerable people, and make our communities safer places to live, work, and visit.

Tackling Retail Crime, Violence and Threats Against Retail Workers

Retail crime, along with the associated violence, abuse, and threats directed towards retail staff, has been identified by local businesses, residents, and community partners as a significant concern across the ward. Shoplifting, aggressive behaviour, verbal abuse, and intimidation can have a far-reaching impact, affecting not only businesses and their employees but also the wider community. Such incidents can increase fear of crime, negatively affect the local economy, and undermine confidence in town and neighbourhood shopping areas.
Cleveland Police recognises the important role that local businesses play within our communities and remains committed to tackling retail crime through a proactive and partnership-led approach. We understand that offences committed within retail settings are not victimless crimes and that incidents involving violence or threats can have a lasting impact on staff who simply seek to carry out their work safely.
Neighbourhood policing teams will continue to work closely with retailers, security staff, local authority teams, business groups, and other partner agencies to identify offenders, share intelligence, and develop effective solutions to reduce offending.
Through targeted patrols, high-visibility policing, and intelligence-led operations, we will focus our efforts on those individuals responsible for committing repeat offences and causing the greatest levels of harm within the retail environment.
Where offences occur, we will seek to make full use of available criminal and civil powers to hold offenders accountable. This includes taking robust action against individuals involved in shop theft, violence, threats, criminal damage, and persistent anti-social behaviour affecting retail premises. By targeting repeat offenders and identifying patterns of offending, we aim to reduce the impact of crime on businesses and improve safety for both staff and customers.
Prevention and engagement also remain key elements of our approach. We will continue to work with retailers to provide crime prevention advice, improve reporting processes, and encourage information sharing. Effective communication between businesses and the police helps build intelligence, identify emerging issues, and support timely enforcement activity.
Community support is vital in addressing retail crime. We encourage residents, businesses, and members of the public to report incidents and share information about suspicious activity. The information received from the community plays an important role in helping us identify offenders and direct resources where they are needed most.
Through proactive policing, strong partnership working, and continued support from the community, Cleveland Police will work to reduce retail crime, tackle violence and threats against retail workers, protect local businesses, and ensure our shopping areas remain safe, welcoming, and vibrant places for everyone.