Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez says significant efforts are being made to tackle antisocial behaviour after reports of rising issues in towns across Devon and Cornwall.

Several town councils have written to Commissioner Hernandez to raise concerns over persistent behaviour in areas including Looe, Brixham, Ilfracombe, and Exmouth.

In a report to the Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime Panel being held in Plymouth today (Friday, July 17), the Commissioner has highlighted work being carried out across the peninsula to tackle antisocial behaviour (ASB), including the use of legal powers designed to prevent persistent nuisance and disorder.

Supported by a dedicated ASB legal advisor funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, over the past year targeted interventions have included 31 closure orders, youth civil injunctions, prosecutions for injunction breaches and more than 40 Community Protection Warnings (CPWs) and Notices (CPNs).

The Commissioner welcomed the use of CPWs and CPNs to tackle persistent antisocial behaviour and protect communities across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, saying: “The use of these powers send a clear message that communities should not have to tolerate persistent antisocial behaviour.

“I am pleased to report that levels of police reported ASB have reduced in our communities, and I encourage anyone affected by these issues to report it every time to ensure resources are allocated where they are needed most.”

In the 12 months to May 2026, there was a 10.2% reduction in ASB incidents reported to Devon and Cornwall Police. Falling from 26,695 incidents to 23,969.

According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, more than half (52.1%) of respondents in Devon and Cornwall agree the police and local council are dealing with the ASB and crime issues that matter. This is 4.2% higher than the national average at 47.9% (12 months to December 2025).

In the same survey, 19.1% of people in Devon and Cornwall believe ASB is a ‘very/fairly big’ problem in their area, compared to 25.2% in England and Wales.

In the latest Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) report issued by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services in June, the force was praised for “the way the police have worked with partners to tackle antisocial behaviour”.

Over the past two years significant investment has been made to tackle antisocial behaviour in town and city centres through targeted hotspot policing patrols, Street Focus initiatives and community safety partnerships.

Through hotspot policing alone, more than 42,000 hours of foot patrols have been delivered by police officers and street marshals across 15 identified locations in Devon and Cornwall. The initiative was supported by £2 million of Home Office funding in 2024-25 and 2025-26, with a further £300,000 investment from the Commissioner’s office.

From April this year, hotspot policing funding from the Home Office stopped, but this work has been moved into business-as-usual policing for Devon & Cornwall Police, with the Commissioner’s office providing £150,000 funding to fund street marshal patrols until September 2026.

Street Focus projects have also helped bring together police, councils, businesses and community organisations to tackle the issues that matter most to local people. Following the success of the pioneering Street Focus programme in Torquay, the approach has been expanded to Camborne and Redruth, where £200,000 investment is supporting dedicated antisocial behaviour officers, youth intervention services and community-led projects.

Commissioner Hernandez said: “Antisocial behaviour can make people feel unsafe in their own communities, prevent them from enjoying public spaces and have a damaging effect on town centres, neighbourhoods and rural areas.

“While Devon and Cornwall remains one of the safest places in the country, I know from speaking to councils, businesses and residents that antisocial behaviour continues to be one of the issues people are most concerned about.

“Every incident affects real people. Whether it is persistent street disorder, nuisance neighbours, intimidating behaviour, dangerous driving or rural antisocial behaviour, the impact on victims can be significant.

“My priority is to ensure communities feel safer, supported and listened to, and that every available tool is used to create safer, stronger and more confident communities across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.”

Alongside enforcement activity, the Commissioner continues to invest heavily in prevention and early intervention.

This includes funding a dedicated Youth ASB Assertive Outreach Service, which works directly with young people who may be at risk of becoming involved in antisocial behaviour or criminality. Since launching in 2022, the service has delivered more than 1,700 sessions and supported over 2,100 children and young people, with 82 per cent achieving a positive outcome.

Additional support is provided through community mediation services, restorative justice programmes and neighbourhood watch schemes.

For more information about the Commissioner’s work to tackle antisocial behaviour, visit www.devonandcornwall-pcc.gov.uk.