Anti-Social Behaviour

Lancashire Constabulary are working with partner agencies to continue tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) and are committed to making our communities a safer and nicer place to live.

We have launched Op Centurion, our new campaign focusing on anti-social behaviour issues across the county. As part of this campaign a dedicated website has been developed to help anyone who is looking to report ASB to the appropriate authority. Visit LancashireTacklingASB.co.uk. Here you will find out where to go to report each issue in your local area.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) has a profound impact on victims and how safe they feel in their neighbourhood.

What is anti-social behaviour?

The term anti-social behaviour covers a wide range of unacceptable activity that blights the lives of many people on a daily basis. It often leaves victims feeling helpless, desperate and with a seriously reduced quality of life.

Anti-social behaviour can involve harm to an individual, to the wider community or to the environment.

This could be an action by someone else that leaves you feeling alarmed, harassed or distressed. It also includes fear of crime or concern for public safety, public disorder or public nuisance.

Examples include:

• Substance misuse i.e. dealing or using drugs in the street
• Drinking alcohol on the streets
• Animal related problems e.g. not properly restraining your dog in a public place – visit our dangerous dogs section for more information
• Inconsiderate or inappropriate use of vehicles
• Nuisance, rowdy or inconsiderate neighbours
• Graffiti, vandalism and littering
• Fireworks misuse
• Hoax calls
• Hate crime, which includes bullying and abusive behaviour because of someone’s race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age or a disability
• Use of an imitation weapon like a BB Gun in a public place
• Prostitution related activity
• Begging and vagrancy

Some of the anti-social behaviour described above is a criminal offence, such as criminal damage or drug dealing, and this can result in arrest and prosecution.

How do I report it?

Everyone has the right to live a life free from anti-social behaviour.

Your local council, the police and other community safety partner agencies, such as the fire service and social housing landlords, all have a responsibility to deal with anti-social behaviour and to help people who are suffering from it.

If you are experiencing problems with anti-social behaviour, or have any concerns about it, or other community safety issues, you should contact either your local council or call the police on the non-emergency number 101.

When to contact the police:

If you are experiencing any of the following issues please contact the police:

• Drug/substance misuse
• Criminal damage
• Gangs
• Assault
• Prostitution/kerb crawling
• Stolen property
• Hate crime incidents

Call 101 to speak to your local neighbourhood policing team, or dial 999 in an emergency.

When to contact the council
There are many anti-social behaviour problems where the police are not the most appropriate organisation to contact.

If you are experiencing any of the following, please contact your local council who should be the first point of contact.

• Aggressive begging
• Vehicle nuisance
• Noise nuisance
• Neighbour Nuisance
• Fly tipping and littering
• Illegal/underage sales- The sale of illegal goods should be reported to Her Majesties Revenue and Customs Service. The sale of goods to people who are too young to buy them should be reported to Trading Standards.
• Misuse of fireworks – If there is an immediate danger please contact the Fire Service on 999. However, the council can investigate this and take action.

What is being done to tackle ASB?

Lancashire Constabulary regularly hold PACT (Police and Communities Together) meetings and online ePACT meetings on their local Neighbourhood Policing Facebook pages to establish what issues are happening in each area. The police also regularly meet with partner organisations to address community priorities and what will be done to tackle these. Have a look at the Your Area page to find out who is in your local Neighbourhood Policing Team and how to contact them.

ASB Community Trigger

This is a new provision of the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 by which victims of anti-social behaviour or their representative can request a review of how their complaints have been dealt with.

The review is conducted by the local council, police, housing and health representatives who will decide if the request to activate the trigger meets the local criteria.  If the request qualifies the panel will review the complaints and determine if any further work can be done to resolve the problem.

For more information about the Community Trigger in your area, click on your location below.

Blackburn with Darwen
Blackpool
Burnley
Chorley
Fylde
Hyndburn
Lancaster
Pendle
Preston
Ribble Valley
Rossendale
South Ribble
West Lancashire
Wyre