Joint response to anti-social behaviour

Surrey Police is expanding its Joint Enforcement Team (JET) initiative following its success in tackling anti-social behaviour and low-level crime. The force has teamed up with Guildford Borough Council’s established enforcement teams to create the new JET, which will tackle issues such as littering, fly-tipping and vandalism, and provide a visible presence to deter would-be offenders. It is being funded by the police and crime commissioner’s (PCC) office following the success of similar schemes in Reigate and Banstead, Spelthorne and Elmbridge. Another team is also being introduced in Waverley. Councillor Graham Ellwood, lead councillor for licensing and community safety said: “By bringing together the enforcement powers of key teams from across the council and combining this with the work of colleagues from Surrey Police, the JET will be able to quickly deal with those issues that we know impact residents – and that we also know they want us to resolve more quickly. “Using the combined enforcement powers of the local council and police, the team aims to provide the community with a fast and effective response to issues that may have previously taken longer to resolve.” As well as vandalism, fly-tipping and littering, a JET is empowered to deal with matters such as anti-social behaviour, anti-social parking, including outside schools, dealing with traveller incursions, dog fouling, fly-posting and graffiti, street trading, abandoned vehicles, notices to clear waste on land and taxi licensing. PCC David Munro said: “A key part of my role is to help build safer communities so I am delighted that this scheme is now up and running in Guildford. I was really impressed by the enthusiasm of the team, who are obviously raring to go so I look forward to seeing them in action soon. “I hope the Guildford team can replicate the success of the JETs already set up in other parts of Surrey and tackle some of those issues, such as anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping, which residents tell us are so important to them.”