Safety Through Strength Annual Report 2024-25 - Page 8

The creation of new Anti-Social Behaviour Risk Assessment Conference (ASBRAC) process now standardises the way victims of ASB are dealt with across Lancashire and will ensure we have a partnership approach to dealing with vulnerable victims.

Over the past year, I have worked to ensure our officers have the necessary resources and powers to combat crime and antisocial behaviour. This comes at a time of significant change for policing, with the development of the Crime and Policing Bill and forthcoming legislation affecting policing and criminal justice.

2024/25 Highlights

Operation Centurion

Operation Centurion, Lancashire Constabulary’s initiative to combat anti-social behaviour, has consistently demonstrated to the public that firm action is being taken to address offending and enhance community safety.

In 2024/25, Lancashire Constabulary’s ASB Civil Orders Team secured over 840 antisocial behaviour related orders. Since it’s launch in summer 2023 there has been 4972 arrests for offences linked to ASB, including criminal damage and drug dealing. Strengthening Operation Centurion has been central to this year’s efforts to tackle harmful ASB, including the rollout of an intelligence-led operation targeting anti-social driving over the twelve-month period.

Government-funded additional shifts have enabled extra foot patrols across the county, resulting in 47,556 more policing hours dedicated to tackling ASB throughout Lancashire.

Lobbying on illegal use of e-bikes and e-scooters

Addressing the illegal use of e-bikes, e-scooters, and similar vehicles has been a significant concern raised by the public through correspondence, and frequently brought up by Members of Parliament, councillors, and businesses.

Since September last year, I have been lobbying the Government on the importance of tackling this illegal use and strengthening the policing response. After seeking support from local MPs, questions were posed to the Home Secretary both in the House of Commons and in writing.

This led to Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson MP confirming that the Government will “give police the powers they need to tackle the dangerous and antisocial use of e-vehicles off the streets for good, so that they will be able to quickly destroy those that they seize from offenders.”

Following the publication of the Crime and Policing Bill in February 2025, I again wrote to the Government, welcoming the new powers to address e-vehicle concerns and highlighting the opportunity to go further. I will continue to work with local MPs and other partners in Lancashire and nationally to do all we can to address this issue.

£235k additional investment into tackling ASB

I secured an additional £235k in funding to support the work of Operation Centurion and tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) across the county. This was provided on top of the £2 million already secured for delivering additional patrols to address ASB from 2023 until spring 2025.

This funding boost enabled the Constabulary to intensify their efforts to combat ASB, building on the successful work recognised by the Government over the previous two years, and further enhancing community safety.

£1.7m ASB and GRIP funding

After lobbying the Government for continued, dedicated funding to allow extra officer shifts to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, I was pleased to announce that in March 2025, the Home Office confirmed £1.7 million in funding for 2025/26.

Areas across Lancashire will continue to benefit from this funding, targeting locations identified as needing additional resources to address anti-social behaviour based on operational needs.

This will enhance our response to ASB, enabling swift action against offenders and ensuring that areas where concerns are raised receive the necessary attention.

Operation Vulture

I have supported the continued rollout of Operation Vulture, Lancashire Constabulary’s initiative to combat retail crime. This operation addresses the issue head-on through increased patrolling in hotspot areas, proactive approaches to identify and target prolific shoplifters, and prioritising scenes where violence has been used.

Shoplifting is a national epidemic and a key concern raised by retailers, shopworkers, and customers I have met throughout the past year. Spending time in places like Preston City Centre, I have heard directly from retailers about the issues they face and how Operation Vulture is making a difference in tackling them.

During 2024/25, there were 3,278 positive outcomes for shoplifting offences, including charges, arrests, and criminal behaviour orders.

Lobbying on retail crime and protecting shopworkers from harassment

Operation Vulture is going from strength to strength, but I recognise that retail crime requires national action with strengthened legislation to support our efforts. I have engaged with the Government on measures that should be taken to address this significant issue

In support of this, I have backed USDAW’s ‘Respect for Shopworkers’ campaign and joined their calls for this new legislation. This will help protect shopworkers and ensure retail spaces are safer, while also addressing issues such as anti-social behaviour that affect our town centres.

Pol-Ed scheme

In January, we announced the launch of an innovative new education scheme, Pol-Ed, designed to proactively educate young people about the law and help prevent offending.

The materials address priority areas of policing and cover a wide range of issues such as sexual violence and harassment, child-on-child abuse, crime prevention, personal safety, and the perceptions young people may have of the police.

Thanks to my funding, we have been able to make this education package available to every school in Lancashire, from early years to age 18. This provides a universal offer for schools to take advantage of, with Lancashire Constabulary supporting registration and delivery where required.

Over half of all schools in Lancashire have registered in the first few months, which is fantastic, and I look forward to seeing the rollout continue.

Operation Limit tackling drink and drug driving

At the beginning of December, Operation Limit was launched, involving every police force across the UK throughout the entire month, with the aim of deterring and apprehending drink or drug drivers. This was supported by a joint media campaign between my Office and the Constabulary. My Office secured an additional 93k from Government to support this work and the related Lancashire wide campaign.

In Lancashire, we take a firm stance on impaired driving. Drink or drug driving is unacceptable, and this annual intensification builds on the ongoing efforts to keep our roads safe year-round.

During the operation in December 2024, Lancashire Constabulary arrested 331 individuals for drink or drug driving-related offences, which is a worrying 24% increase compared to the previous year.

It is sadly evident that too many people choose to ignore the dangers of impaired driving, putting lives at risk. I will continue to support the proactive approach taken by the force during Operation Limit and every single day of the year to remove those who endanger their lives and the lives of others from our roads.

Operation Snap

From 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025, OpSnap received 5,218 submissions, marking a 28% increase compared to the previous financial year.

OpSnap is a police initiative responding to the growing number of video and photographic evidence submissions from the public regarding witnessed driving offences. It is crucial that everyone in Lancashire feels safe on our roads, and it is encouraging to see individuals who have witnessed incidents submit dashcam footage as evidence of moving traffic offences.

Last year, 1,502 submissions resulted in sanctions, including prosecutions, driver retraining courses, and fixed penalty notices. OpSnap investigates offences such as dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention, careless driving, using a mobile phone, not wearing a seat belt, contravening a red traffic light, contravening solid white lines, and other offences where the driver is clearly not in proper control of the vehicle.

Rural crime

Often, offenders may attempt to exploit rural areas, making it crucial that we prevent this. During my previous term as Commissioner, I funded the establishment of our rural taskforces, and I’m delighted to see their continued growth and success.

These taskforces have been addressing the unique challenges faced by rural communities, listening to their concerns, and taking decisive action.

This year has been no exception, with arrests, seizures, and prosecutions all contributing to the protection of rural areas and the removal of criminals from the community.

Over the past twelve months, we’ve also expanded our rural taskforce to cover the south division, with even more officers now actively serving in rural communities.