Patrols will respond to reports and issue fixed penalties
A specialist team of officers will target anti-social behaviour hot spots in Tonbridge and Malling this summer.
The three trained officers will respond to complaints about rowdy behaviour, drinking and other activities, such as car meets, which cause a nuisance or disturbance to residents. Their presence on the streets is also aimed at deterring offenders and providing public reassurance.
Last year across Tonbridge and Malling there were on average around 70 reports of anti-social behaviour each month. The team’s aim is to reduce this figure using their powers to confiscate alcohol and issue fixed notices of £100 to those caught breaching public space protection orders designed to ensure parks and other open spaces can be enjoyed by everyone. The officers will be deployed by Tonbridge and Malling’s Community Safety Unit, which is staffed by officers from the borough council and Kent Police.
Launched this month, the team has spent its first few weeks focusing on known hotspots and gathering intelligence on anti-social activities such as nuisance vehicles, drug taking and drinking in public spaces and illegal use of off-road motorbikes. Any income raised by the issuing of penalties will be reinvested in the work of the community safety team.
The initiative involves a range of partner organisations and is being trialled until autumn 2024 with £65,000 of council funding.
Cllr Des Keers, cabinet lead for communities, said: “We know that the summer months and lighter evenings often see an increase in reports of anti-social behaviour. This can be anything from excessive noise which disturbs residents to dangerous activities on public land involving cars or motorbikes.
“We are committed to doing all we can to reduce these and other nuisance activities. Over the coming months we will use reports from the public to build a picture of where there are persistent problems and deploy our team to tackle it quickly and efficiently.”
Anyone wishing to report anti-social behaviour, can do so via the Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council website.