Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB)

Location:
Somerford Road and surrounding area, Christchurch
Describe the issue & its affects:
Groups of children being abusive, stealing and intimidating to shop workers and the public.

What action will you take to tackle the issue:

Engagement with the community to offer reassurance and encourage reporting
Target offenders for disruption and positive action.
Work with statutory partners to achieve meaningful intervention.

Issued 01 April 2026

June Update:
- Officers continue to respond to reports of child-related anti-social behaviour in the area and liaise with residents and businesses to identify the offenders and take positive action. Regular visits have been conducted to businesses that have been most affected.
- Officers are working with partner agencies towards a closure order on a very problematic address. This work requires consistent monitoring, regular Police checks and to record evidence of offending that can be put in the application to the Court for the closure to be authorised.

April Update:
Officers have been working with key Partnership agencies and businesses to disrupt and deal with a range of issues linked to residential premises in the area. This included the enforcement of a Court ordered Closure Order and anti-social behaviour at a number of other addresses. This involves regular disruption visits, gathering evidence and utilising both civil and criminal legislation to take positive action.
A number of children have been causing issues in the area, so after investigating reports and identifying those involved, criminal proceedings were initiated and the Youth Justice Process has been initiated for appropriate punitive and supportive action to be taken.

March Update:

Officers have been visiting businesses in the area and speaking with witnesses, to identify the group of children that have been offending in the area. Officers have visited the home address of any identified children to liaise with parents and offer warnings and education. Neighbourhood and Patrol Officers have both increased their presence in the area and taken positive action by returning children home and also making arrests when criminal offences have been committed.

Actioned 01 July 2026

Drugs

Location:
Somerford and Mudeford, Christchurch

Describe the issue & its affects:
Drug dealing activity linked to street dealing, vehicles and residential addresses. Increases risk to the public and associated anti-social behaviour in the community.


What action will you take to tackle the issue:

Engagement with the community to offer reassurance and encourage reporting
Target offenders for disruption and positive action.
Work with partners such as BCP Council and Housing providers, to utilise civil action, maximising our impact.

Issued 01 April 2026

June Update:
- Officers are working with partnership agencies and businesses, at regular meetings and as demand requires, to problem solve issues linked to drugs offending. This is linked to vulnerable people being targeted in their homes by drug dealers seeking to exploit them. We discuss safeguarding and enforcement options, deciding as a partnership group what actions will be most effective. This problem solving approach is active and ongoing.
- Officers are regularly on patrol in the area, utilising the latest intelligence to ensure that people, vehicles and addresses are actively monitored and positive disruption takes place. Officers seek to be proactive and we have seen a recent decline in the presence of certain active criminals in the area as a consequence.

April Update:
Officers have worked extensively with SNG Housing and BCP Council, to gather evidence for a Closure Order on a very problematic residential address. This has now been executed and we are monitoring compliance with the order. The team are also conducting welfare and disruption visits to other addresses in the area to monitor any displacement of anti-social behaviour and criminality.
The team regularly consult with partner agencies about the safety and welfare of many vulnerable residents. Officers have been conducting checks at addresses where there were concerns of cuckooing or exploitation, submitting appropriate referrals for support or taking positive action as necessary to protect the residents.

March Update:

Officers have conducted multiple visits to a problematic address on Mudeford Lane, searching people and property and making arrests to maximise disruption and limit the negative impact on the community. Two prolific offenders that had been threatening people and using violence against others, were both arrested for various offences.

Actioned 01 July 2026