Last updated on: Thursday, July 29
The Safer Neighbourhoods Team for Alton Town is:
PC Pete Kelly (second right), PC Sarah Kedge (first left), PCSO Gemma McKeown (third left) PCSO Tria Gibbs (third right) and PCSO Jessica Hornsby (second left) and PC Jo Layton (far right).
We are based out of Alton Police Station.
Locally, we work with your community to find out what matters most where you live. We will work with you and our partner agencies to agree the main priorities for the area and how we will work together to tackle them.
The current community priorities:
- Issues of anti-social behaviour and drunken behaviour at Mount Pleasant car park and the surrounding area
- Groups gathering on Windmill Hill behind Salisbury Close and Cowdray Park, littering, underage drinking and having small fires
- Anti-social behaviour in Lady Place car park and Market Square
These are the priorities that people in your local area have agreed with the Safer Neighbourhoods team. You can influence these priorities by contacting your team, attending a meeting or speaking to members of the team when you see them out and about.
Any residents who witness anti-social behaviour in the area should contact police as soon as possible.
Action we have taken in relation to your priorities
You said: Issues of anti-social behaviour and drunken behaviour at Mount Pleasant car park and the surrounding area
We did:
We have been actively patrolling the area and will carry on our patrols on a regular basis. Alcohol has been seized from underage drinkers and groups have been dispersed from the area. We are particularly interested in any vehicles driving in an anti-social manner in the car park.
We are also helping the residents of Mount Pleasant Road look into setting up a Neighbourhood Watch, bringing the community together to help tackle the problem that is affecting the area.
Could we ask that residents carry on calling in any issues involving anti-social behaviour to us, or start to if they are not already doing so. Together we can solve any issues that arise.
You said: Groups gathering on Windmill Hill behind Salisbury close and Cowdray Park, littering, underage drinking and having small fires
We did:
Residents had concerns that if this was allowed to get out of hand it would encourage more serious issues to arise in the neighbourhood. This is happening on Windmill Hill behind Salisbury Close and Cowdray Park.
We have spoken with Alton Town Council and we are working in partnership with their security town patrols, and making sure the area gets patrolled on a regular basis.
When underage teenagers are found to be drinking, we are seizing their alcohol, getting them to remove the litter and carrying out any relevant searches that need to be done.
So far this has been a successful approach to not letting large groups gather and cause disruption to local residents in the area.
We would appreciate any calls from members of the public when they are aware of youths on Windmill Hill, so that we can make sure everyone feels able to enjoy this area without the anti-social behaviour and litter.
You said: Anti-social behaviour in Lady Place car park and Market Square
We did:
We have kept on with our high visibility regular patrols, and have been putting the CCTV in Market Square to good use helping us spot potential trouble and direct units to the places they need to be.
As always we are working closely to monitor licensing issues and will hopefully be running some test purchase operations in the future.
Issues in Lady Place car park are been looked at with East Hampshire District Council for solutions to deterring groups hanging around with vehicles by the car park and entrance to the town park.
Offenders brought to justice
We will continue to run Operation Respect which is, and will continue to be, a key tool in delivering a reduction in anti-social behaviour and violence. Investigating incidents and bringing offenders to justice who engage in activities that undermine our community, remains a high priority.
Sadly there will always continue to be pockets of anti-social behaviour which we will continue to actively target.
Anti-social behaviour and violence will not be tolerated and we will enforce the law where criminal behaviour is observed and identified.
We recently had a large alcohol seizure from a party of approximately 50 underage drinkers, they were then moved on from the area. The alcohol was seized and destroyed.
We will continue to seize alcohol from underage drinkers and move on groups who are causing anti-social behaviour.
We have recently shut down a house in Alton after complaints of drug dealing at the property. Aldershot magistrates granted the three month Crack House Closure Order on 8 Crown Close Mews, under the 2003 Anti-Social Behaviour Act.
We continue to support the Neighbourhood Watch scheme and the Holybourne Street Watch scheme where members of our community are empowered to patrol their own streets.
The members are able to provide visible reassurance and a strong sense of community cohesion. Further information can be obtained so please get in touch if you would like to know more. We maintain and continue to develop strong relationships with local shops and licensed premises. Both the Shop Watch and Pub Watch schemes are operating very well and are supported by the new town centre CCTV system.
Street Watch
Holybourne has recently launched its new Street Watch scheme. More than 40 people have registered their interest in patrolling their local area. There are now over ten experienced patrollers. For more information go to the Street Watch website.
How you can take action
Beat Surgeries
Alton's Safer Neighbourhoods team hold regular beat surgeries.
Sainsbury’s store in Alton kindly allow their store to be used by PCSOs and beat officers on Tuesdays for police to be able to make direct contact with the public.
We will be at Sainsbury's from 10.30am until 2pm on the following dates:
- Tuesday, September 14
- Tuesday ,September 21
- Tuesday, September 28
Your Voice Counts - community priorities
Your Safer Neighbourhoods team wants to hear from you. Have your say on what the policing priorities should be for your area, by clicking here to download a copy of the form and send it back to your local team.
Volunteering
You could also volunteer to help the teams working in your local area and make a real difference to your neighbourhood. Click here for more information about police support volunteers.
Crime mapping and local performance information
Hampshire Constabulary has joined with partner agencies in the two counties to provide you with local information about crime and disorder, using a system called CADDIE. On the bottom left hand side of this page, you can enter your postcode into CADDIE to view information about your local area.
You can also view details of how we are performing against certain key criteria in your local area. Click here to see your local performance information.
Please click here for the Alton Parish Council website
Please click here for the East Hampshire District website
Please note Hampshire Constabulary is not responsible for external websites.
How to contact us
If you would like to speak to any of the officers responsible for policing your local area, please call 101 or you can
email the Alton Safer Neighbourhoods team here.
