Had I been Policing Minister for longer, this is exactly what I'd have concentrated on delivering - building on what we know works, increasing officer presence on the beat and taking firm steps to stamp out the scourge of anti-social behaviour in our communities, by:
π« NOS - weβre banning it
π· Vandals will be forced to repair the damage they cause (starting within 48 hours)
π¨ Police presence will increase in places that need it most and will have powers to test for a wider range of drugs, and for a wider range of reasons
π― Increased fines for people who selfishly fly-tip, litter, and graffiti, with this money going back into the local community
π² A new simple way to report anti-social behaviour which will give you updates and allow you to challenge decisions
In short:
TOUGHER PUNISHMENTS
HIGHER FINES
AND A CLAMP DOWN ON DRUGS
All very welcome - and precisely what people in Corby & East Northamptonshire want to see.
With that in mind, it's very welcome that Northamptonshire is one of our 'Immediate Justice' trailblazer police force areas, supported by some of the Β£160 million of funding announced today to crack down on ASB in our parks, high streets and communities. I really do believe this will help make a real difference in making our streets safer, building on the significant officer uplift of recent years, which I consistently campaigned for.