Crime down as Bassetlaw benefits from extra resource

Overall levels of crime fell by 5.1 per cent in the year to September 2023 and now Bassetlaw is currently one of the best performing neighbourhood areas for crime reduction across the force.

Antisocial behaviour in the district has also seen a significant drop – down 11.6 per cent in the same period.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “I’m delighted to see that the extra investment we have put into Bassetlaw is having a positive effect, with reductions in both crime and antisocial behaviour.

“Bassetlaw has slightly more than the average number of police officers compared to the other neighbourhood policing areas across the force. It also has a higher proportion of response trained officers (61 per cent) to recognise the fact that the district covers a large geographical area.

“It is my role as Police and Crime Commissioner to represent the people of Nottinghamshire in ensuring the best possible policing service across the city and county, and these latest crime figures give me reassurance that people in Bassetlaw are getting good policing service.

“As well as the front line policing that people will see on the streets, we are also engaged in lots more work behind the scenes to prevent crime and support victims in Bassetlaw. This includes my Office commissioning a range of services to divert people away from crime and antisocial behaviour and prevent reoffending, as well as services such as Nottinghamshire Victim CARE to help people recover from the impact of crime.

“We also work closely with a range of partners, including Bassetlaw District Council, to ensure a joined-up approach to making Bassetlaw a safe place to live, work and visit.”

The OPCC has also brought a total of over £1m of additional funding to Worksop over the last three years through the Home Office’s Safer Streets programme – which has paid for public security interventions including CCTV cameras, street lighting and Street Wardens to provide an additional high-visibility public presence in the town centre.

The latest round of this will see a total of around £165,000 spent in the area on CCTV, gating for alleyways to prevent antisocial behaviour and environmental improvements to make public spaces feel safer.

It comes as policing capacity was boosted in Bassetlaw in June with an additional response sergeant per rota based at Ollerton, who oversees deployments in the Bassetlaw area, as well as an additional response inspector per rota for the force to help increase leadership and visibility across the north of the county.

A dedicated Chief Inspector role has also been established for the Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood area to provide strategic oversight – a role which was previously shared with three other districts.

As well as that, funding from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire has also seen the introduction of a new dedicated rural crime prevention officer begin operating in Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood, earlier this year.