Police hail op to tackle antisocial behaviour
One year on since the launch of Operation Avalanche, Northumbria Police have hailed it as a success in tackling antisocial behaviour.
Following a spike of youth disorder in both Houghton and Hetton, Northumbria Police launched the operation on January 21, 2020.
Spearheaded by the neighbourhood policing team and ran in partnership with Sunderland City Council, antisocial behaviour reports have dropped by up to 30% and youth disorder specifically has almost halved in the areas.
The disorder included vandalismand the smashing of bus windows while passengers remained onboard and despite the successes, a number of windows were smashed at H et ton Interchange between 4 am and 5am on Tuesday.
Officers have revealed more than 50 teenagers have been dealt with by home visits, with some persistent offenders reported for public order offences.
Northumbria Police's Inspector Nick Gjorven hailed the impact of Operation Avalanche, but insisted nobody is getting complacent about the positive results.
He said: “The overwhelming feedback has been positive –which supports our crime figures;anti social behaviour and specifically youth disorder has markedly decreased.
“We know that the anti social behaviour of a minority can have a significant impact on the public and can make some of
our most vulnerable residents feel frightened or anxious in their own homes.
“It has made a significant difference.
"Between November 2020 and this month, we have seen a 30% overall reduction in anti social behaviour reports in the Hetton and Houghton areas, with youth disorder specifically reducing by 41% compared to the previous eight-week period.
“While the figures all show a welcome reduction, the unacceptable criminal damage on Tuesday reiterates the need to maintain this momentum and continue to work hard to tackle this type of offending.”