Dr Billings joined force colleagues to launch the force’s approach to the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Hot Spots funding, which was awarded to South Yorkshire earlier this year as part of a Home Office initiative to reduce and tackle ASB.

South Yorkshire Police announced plans for the Trail Blazer Hot Spot Patrols yesterday (Wednesday 5 July) at an ASB Symposium hosted as part of ASB Awareness Week, where best practice at local and national level were highlighted.

It was announced in March that South Yorkshire would benefit from around £2 million as one of ten pilot forces to deliver initiatives set out in the government’s ASB Action Plan over the next two years, starting later this month.

The money has been provided to police and crime commissioners to fund increased patrols to tackle issues and reduce ASB in their areas.

Since the funding was announced, we have been working with partners, including the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), collating over 70,000 data references to establish those neighbourhoods and areas that see the highest instances of ASB, which will benefit from the extra resources. A total of 12 areas in each district (Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield) will see the increase in patrols as part of this.

Chief Supt Ian Proffitt, South Yorkshire Police ASB lead, said: “We were pleased to hear that we were selected as one of the pilot forces, in this national bid to reduce ASB.

“In response to this funding we have introduced targeted patrols across the county, in addition to the usual neighbourhood policing activity that communities will be used to seeing.

“ASB is a priority for the force, and we are committed to working towards ways on how we can tackle reports and support victims.”

Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Since the announcement was made a considerable amount of work has been undertaken across the county to ensure that the areas that suffer the most from ASB are the ones that will benefit from the funding.

“We have seen increased concerns around certain types of ASB in many areas and it is the one thing that residents always tell me about when I attend community meetings.

“The nature of ASB is relentless and can have a significant impact on individuals and communities, leaving them feeling unsafe in their homes and local areas. This funding is very welcome and will help us to do more in order to tackle ASB, which we know causes harm and anxiety within communities and businesses.”

Details of the Government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/action-plan-to-crack-down-on-anti-social-behaviour

ASB Awareness Week runs from Monday 3 – Sunday 9 July.