Incidents of anti-social behaviour have dropped by 13% in Essex in the past year, with Maldon seeing the lowest level in the county.

This is the third consecutive yearly decrease in Anti-social behaviour offences in Essex, with 2,312 fewer offences reported in the year to the end of July.

Maldon has seen 244 anti-social behaviour offence reports in the last year, the lowest alongside Uttlesford and Brentwood.

Southend and Uttlesford saw the highest drop in offences in the last year, both seeing a 22% decrease.

Essex is one of ten forces taking part in a pilot scheme that has seen dedicated patrols by police and community partners in known Anti-social behaviour (ASB) hotspots, thanks to funding secured by the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Deputy Chief Constable Andy Prophet, the National Police Chief Council's lead for ASB, said: "There are many examples of successful interventions up and down the country where police and other agencies are successfully working with communities to tackle and reduce ASB.

"This focused 'hotspot approach', using powers of dispersal, stop and search, premises closure and of course arrest, is a vital part of what must be a long term, multi-agency approach to tackling anti-social behaviour."

Hotspot patrolling, under the banner Operation Dial, has been taking place since July 2023 and in its first phase led to 101 arrests, 387 stop and searches, and the issuing of 112 fixed penalty notices.

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The project also saw outreach work that engaged with more than 3,000 young people.

An announcement about the next phase of the scheme in Essex will be made at the end of the month.