City Safe project shows impressive results a year on

NEWCASTLE is once again ahead of the curve - this time in its efforts to combat on-street crime and antisocial behaviour.

- Tariq Albassam

While the Home Secretary recently announced plans to launch a safer streets summer blitz with increased police patrols and local action across 500 town centres in the UK, Newcastle is already a year into its own highly successful initiative to address the same perennial issues of on-street crime, antisocial behaviour, and persistent offenders.

In May last year, Northumbria Police, Newcastle City Council, and NE1 pooled resources to work on a collaborative initiative for the city centre called City Safe. One year on, and the scheme is already reporting phenomenal results.

Within the first six months of City Safe, there was an 8% drop in crime in Newcastle city centre; an 11% reduction in thefts; a 27% cut in vehicle crime; and a 15% fall in antisocial behaviour.

These results were achieved thanks to the hard work and dedication of officers from Northumbria Police, Newcastle City Council's community safety team, and our NE1 Street Rangers, all working together from a base in the heart of the city centre.