City center patrols increase due to youth gangs. 49 arrests made. Issues with bikes, drugs, and aggressive begging remain.
Operation Lumley increases police visibility. It targets areas with frequent bad behavior reports. Newport saw 49 arrests due to this initiative. Police also did 38 stop-and-searches. They issued 17 community resolution notices too.
Councillor Will Routley still sees issues. He mentioned bikes, drugs, and aggressive begging. Routley asked why police don’t arrest offenders. He wants them off Newport’s streets.
White stated resources are needed for arrests. He said data doesn’t fully support those perceptions. Anti-social behavior rates remain the same. However, offenders are getting arrested and dealt with.
Reports of bad behavior stayed consistent. This was between October and February. Overall, city crime decreased by 9%. Violent offenses and vehicle crime are down. Burglaries also saw a decrease. Weapon offenses increased. These are often from stop-and-searches.
Councillor Gavin Horton praised police response times. He owns a coffee shop on Millennium Walk. He said response times have improved a lot.
Council leader Dimitri Batrouni said police are vital for reducing crime. The council is a key ally, providing an anti-social behavior team. One officer focuses on the city center, ensuring no one feels unsafe downtown. Batrouni noted overall crime rates are falling.
White mentioned past funding cuts at a prior meeting. The police could lose many PCSOs. The latest news is more positive. New PCSOs will join Gwent Police in May. Two more recruitment drives will happen later.