A crackdown on anti-social behaviour in Penrith has been welcomed by the community.
Police officers are taking a proactive approach to neighbourhood policing following concerns being raised by a number residents about anti-social driving and youth anti-social behaviour.
This culminated in an operation which saw more than 30 vehicles stopped in the town centre and around Sainsbury’s.
The initiative involved specialist officers from the neighbourhood policing team, collision reduction officers and mobile support group officers to address reports of anti-social behaviour.
Penrith mayor Charlie Shepherd agreed there is a problem in certain areas of town.
He said: “I think it’s absolutely right that the police have clamped down on anti-social behaviour in Penrith. While in some ways this is low-level crime, it can have an enormous impact on people’s lives – particularly older, more vulnerable people.”
Results from the operation included the arrest of a 34-year-old Penrith man for suspected drink-driving. He is due to appear at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court on January 25.
Officers also issued a raft of traffic offence reports for issues such as excess noise from exhausts, expired MOTs and unlawful registration plates.
A police spokesman said: “We take reports of anti-social behaviour incredibly seriously, with both proactive and reactive action being taken to tackle this unacceptable behaviour.
“These proactive initiative are ongoing to continue to tackle any anti-social behaviour in the area. We would encourage any member of the public with concerns around anti-social behaviour in their area to contact the police.”
Other anti-social driving hotspots include Haweswater Road and Cowper Road, on the Gilwilly industrial estate, where a young driver was issued with a traffic offence report for excess speed on Sunday.
This crackdown has been welcomed by the community, which is pleased to see a more proactive response to anti-social behaviour which they say has been increasingly plaguing the town for some years now.
One person said the Gillwilly estate had become a “race track” during the evenings.
