WHEN asked what they want to see their local police dealing with, the public always cite dealing with anti-social behaviour as one of their policing priorities.

That is why Cheshire Constabulary is determined to tackle anti-social behaviour in all its forms.

There is evidence that the work the Constabulary has been doing is paying off – a recent inspection report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary found that Cheshire was performing well when it comes to dealing with anti-social behaviour.

The inspection came after several high profile cases across the UK which started as anti-social behaviour and ended in tragedy.

These included the death of Fiona Pilkington and her daughter in Leicestershire after they were subject to anti-social behaviour.

The inspectors found that Cheshire Constabulary was working effectively with other agencies such as local councils and housing trusts to identify and solve issues.

They also highlighted the work of the Constabulary’s Service Desks, which contact all victims of anti-social behaviour within 24 hours of an incident being reported.

This helps make sure that the Constabulary is dealing effectively with issues, as well as providing additional support and showing the victim that something is being done.

The Inspectorate surveyed people who had reported anti-social behaviour to the police and found that Cheshire people who called for help with an anti-social behaviour problem, were consistently more satisfied with the service they received than the average across all forces.

The Constabulary is also at the forefront of the use of “restorative justice” to combat anti-social behaviour, working with the victim and the offender to find a solution to problems. Restorative Justice is highly effective at preventing repeat offending.

In Cheshire, David Whatton, the Chief Constable, chairs a strategic panel which brings together all the agencies responsible for tackling anti-social behaviour, to co-ordinate an effective response to the problem – this is paying dividends by making sure everyone is tackling the issues at local level.

The report by Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary said: “ASB is a Force priority … the level of commitment is clearly high.”

Assistant Chief Constable Janette McCormick said: “In Cheshire we are determined to combat anti-social behaviour in all its forms. High profile cases around the country have shown that it is not simply a nuisance crime and can escalate into tragedy if it is not stopped.

“In other cases, repeated low-level anti-social behaviour becomes an undercurrent of life that affects local people’s confidence in their own community.

“We urge people to report this type of behaviour because the police really can make a difference and tackle these issues robustly and effectively.”

Moira Chapman, the Police Authority lead on community engagement,said: “When members of the Authority speak to local people about their priorities for policing, anti-social behaviour is often raised as an area of concern. I am delighted that the hard work of the Constabulary in tackling anti-social behaviour has been recognised by HMIC”.