Low Cost Interventions
16. Working with local Council and Police
Working with your local Council or Police to issue Community Protection Notices (CPNs) involves reporting persistent anti-social behaviour or repeat offending that is having a negative impact on your business or local area. CPNs are legal notices that can be used to require individuals to stop certain behaviours and, if breached, can lead to further enforcement action.
For business owners, this approach helps tackle ongoing problems such as shop theft, harassment, or nuisance behaviour by addressing the root cause and repeat offenders. It also shows a clear, coordinated response with local partners, helping to improve the safety of your premises, protect staff, and create a more positive environment for customers and neighbouring businesses.
Free- There are no costs to this as these are managed by the councils Community Safety Team.
Ongoing. Cases can take a number of months to progress to civil action.
Free/low.
Why Enforcement Enhances Effectiveness Against Persistent ASB
- Clear Sanctions and Visible Deterrents
- Repeat offenders face tangible consequences, such as exclusions, warnings, or police referrals.
- Consistent enforcement signals a zero-tolerance approach, which deters both known and potential offenders.
- Community Backing and Shared Responsibility
- Businesses and local agencies act together, creating a united front against disruptive behaviour.
- Shared data and coordinated responses reduce blind spots and isolate repeat troublemakers.
- Behavioural Tracking and Offender Profiling
- Persistent ASB patterns are monitored over time via incident reports.
- Profiles help identify triggers, hotspots, and escalate cases that require formal intervention or support referrals.
- Empowers Frontline Staff
- Staff are trained to respond confidently, using established protocols.
- Knowing there's a system behind them improves morale and reduces tolerance of abusive behaviour.
- Supports Long-Term Disruption and Rehabilitation
- Regular enforcement encourages offenders to modify behaviour or seek help.
- In some cases, repeat offenders can be referred to diversionary services or support networks.
Limitations
| Limitation | Explanation |
| Inconsistent enforcement | Results weaken if businesses or partners fail to act uniformly. |
| Legal and privacy constraints | Some measures may require data protection compliance or police involvement. |
| Escalation risk | Poorly handled enforcement might escalate aggression or backlash. |
Best Practice
- Establish clear, fair enforcement policies and communicate them to all staff.
- Engage police and council ASB teams to support persistent or high-risk cases.
- Record every incident thoroughly - patterns only emerge with consistent reporting.
- Stay solution-oriented: Pair enforcement with support avenues when appropriate."