The Home Office’s Safer Streets Summer Initiative saw, organisations across the county continue to keep our town centres safe in the programme’s last month. The project aims to raise the positive work taking place to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB), reduce and prevent crime and restore confidence in local services.
Led by Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (Commissioner), David Allen, the three-month initiative includes partners such as Cumbria Constabulary, Cumberland Council, Westmorland and Furness Council, Public Health, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, Remedi, The Well Communities and Cumbria Youth Alliance.
Community engagement thrived as Eden Local Focus Hub delivered youth work in Penrith with the Outside Club Youth Group. The Club has grown and now has 50 children and young people. This growth has assisted with the drop in ASB in the area by 62.3% in the last 12 months. Residents have also noticed a difference with one highlighting “They aren’t hanging around like they used to. Whenever I looked out of my window, they were having a great time.” and “It has made a difference to the estate.” South Lakes Neighbourhood Policing Team have held free bike marking events in the area to encourage residents to protect their bikes from theft. The team have held over 25 events since January and have marked over 550 bikes in the South Lakes area.
Partners have also been engaging with local businesses. Carlisle Cumbria Safer Business Partnership carried out patrols alongside police officers. In September, 53 businesses were visited and eight interventions with suspects and members of the public took place. Three breaches of Community Behaviour Orders were reported to the business partnership from local businesses and were passed to the police for progression.
Operation Colossus, Cumbria Constabulary’s operation to target anti-social and dangerous driving, continued to provide positive results. The Operation took place in Barrow-in-Furness, Ulverston, Carlisle and Workington. Throughout September, 600 vehicles were stopped, and seven arrests were made. Motorists were stopped and/or arrested for offences such as speeding, driving without insurance or MOT, drug driving and not wearing seatbelts.
Operation Enhance continued to tackle anti-social behaviour in hotspot areas across the county by placing extra patrols in 15 hotspot areas. David Allen, Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner secured £1 million of extra funding from the Government’s Hotspot Response Fund to fund Operation Enhance. Between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025, anti-social behaviour reduced by 38.3% in the 15 hotspots compared to the same period in 2023/24 – 974 reports down to 601.
Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen, said: “We’ve had another fantastic month of partners highlighting the positive work carried out to keep residents safe.
“Organisations across Cumbria work year-round to keep the public safe – Safer Streets Summer Initiative gave us the opportunity to promote this further, and I hope that residents feel reassured by the work taking place.
“I look forward to continuing our work to keep the public safe. However, if you feel that there is an issue in your community that hasn’t been addressed, please contact me at commissioner@cumbria-pcc.gov.uk or at 01768 217734. I am your voice in Policing and Fire so please use me if you have a concern.”
Superintendent Annette McClement, Cumbria Constabulary said: “It has been a busy summer for our policing teams, who have worked closely with partner agencies across Cumbria to deliver a wide range of initiatives focused on public safety.
“Keeping people safe is our priority all year round. I would encourage everyone to follow our social media channels to continue finding out more about the work we do to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour.”
Cllr Justin McDermott, Cumberland Council’s portfolio holder for Public Health and Communities, said: “This initiative highlights the work we do day-in-day-out to keep residents safe.
“This joined-up approach is the best way tackle the issues that really matter to our communities, from antisocial behaviour through to organised crime. I urge anyone experiencing issues to raise them with the appropriate organisation so they can be dealt with.”
Councillor Judith Derbyshire, Westmorland and Furness Council Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety, said:
“Over the summer we’ve really seen the difference that partnership working can make.
“When local services, organisations and communities come together, we can tackle the issues that affect people most.
“By working together in this way, we can create lasting, positive change and create town centres that are welcoming and safer for our communities.”
If you wish to report to police you can do so online at Report a crime | Cumbria Police. You can also phone on 101. Always phone 999 in an emergency or if a crime is in progress.