Eastbourne Police take new approach in anti-social behaviour crackdown

Operation Blitz runs every Friday and Saturday evening with officers patrolling the town while focussing on anti-social behaviour and underage drinking.

A Sussex Police spokesperson said, “Over the last decade this operation has had massive successes and is a key part of what we do to work to keep our communities safer. However we are going to be changing the way we work Operation Blitz to make it more relevant and appropriate for the current times.

“What isn’t changing is the way you can report anti-social behaviour and youth disorder. The phone number which we advertise each week will still be monitored, and is still available to you to report what is happening in your community at the time.”

Residents can speak directly to officers between 6pm – 11pm on 07785 372050.

The spokesperson said, “What is changing is how those officers patrol. We will now be using current and accurate information and intelligence to target the two or three most vulnerable areas each Friday and Saturday.

“These locations will be nominated by your local police community support officers and will be identified from our neighbourhood intelligence team. For example they could be locations where we have seen an increase in burglaries or car crime, or locations where we are undertaking specific police operations to look at anti-social driving or drug dealing.

“This will make Operation Blitz more efficient, and look to achieve greater results for you and your community.”

The police further explained how they take action following information from the public and said analysts will be looking at reports that residents send in so specific locations can be identified.

The spokesperson added, “In the coming weeks we will be giving you updates on how these changes to Operation Blitz are working, and importantly the results of how we are doing.

“We hope you will see that these changes are to reflect closer what is happening in our town and to target those areas that need our support most.”

Police said there is ‘no way’ to monitor and register incidents reported on social media so the public are urged to go to https://orlo.uk/atcCv