MONEY has been made available to police in Newton Abbot to staff patrols in the town as part of a force wide crackdown on anti-social behaviour. 

Funding is paying for additional uniformed community patrols in the town which is part of £1million received by Devon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner from the Home Office to crack down on antisocial behaviour and serious violence. 

The funding will see patrols by police officers and street marshals in areas identified as hotspots from Devon and Cornwall police data. 

This will form part of a wider Street Focus initiative working with partners including local authorities to tackle issues in the community. 

Alison Hernandez has a renewed focus on ASB which forms one of her four Police and Crime Plan priorities. 

In recent years, the Commissioner has supported Devon and Cornwall Police’s Operation Loki. 

This neighbourhood policing operation resulted in more than 150 arrests and 30,000 positive interactions with the community.

Commissioner Hernandez said: ‘We have taken significant steps in addressing ASB and combating serious violence. I am pleased this funding will enable us to increase visible uniformed patrols in key areas.  

‘By working in partnership with our councils, we will deliver a reassuring presence in areas where the public feel most vulnerable. With targeted police and partner patrols, we’ll be where we’re needed most, helping to create safer communities.’

An additional £200,000 from the commissioner will bolster the fund, maximising the number of partner patrols across Devon and Cornwall.