Extra patrols as police focus on tackling anti-social behaviour

Operation Centurion was launched by Lancashire Police in July and has seen 800 extra policing hours allocated to stamping out nuisance behaviour in hot-spot areas in the south of the county.

As part of the second phase, which began in October, 58 stop-checks and two stop-searches have been carried out in Skelmersdale so far.

Furthermore, 11 officers have been on patrol and they have made 32 stakeholder visits, as well as attending seven incidents.

Insp Gemma Barr said: "Anti-social behaviour is one of the key concerns our communities have expressed to us. Through our work under Op Centurion, we are showing that we have listened to them and that we are taking action.

"Working closely with our partners, we have put additional officers on the streets in our hot-spot locations to make people feel safer in their areas."

Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden said: "Anti-social behaviour is a blight on our communities and an issue that residents raise with me time and time again, which is why I have made it a priority in my Fighting Crime Plan for Lancashire.

"Op Centurion is stepping up the fight against anti-social behaviour in our communities, led by the dedicated neighbourhood policing teams operating across Lancashire, bolstered by an additional £2m I have been able to secure from Government to invest in dedicated foot patrols targeting anti-social behaviour hot-spot areas.

"It's fantastic to see the impact these additional patrols are now delivering across the county, bringing more visible policing into all Lancashire districts."