Lincolnshire Police are pleased to announce that hotspot patrols to tackle anti-social behaviour have been expanded for 2025-2026.
A further £1,000,000 will be utilised to continue to fund the Hotspot Patrolling initiative following the success of the pilot scheme last year.
The cash was secured from the Home Office thanks to Police and Crime Commissioner, Marc Jones.
Coverage will be increased from 12 to 28 areas across nine locations: Lincoln, Boston, Gainsborough, Grantham, Louth, Skegness, Sleaford, Stamford and Mablethorpe.
Grantham and Stamford are the new areas of the county being introduced this year.
Spalding Neighbourhood Board (formerly known as the Towns Fund) have decided to pilot and fund a Hotspot Policing initiative of their own to provide better safety and security within the town centre, with ASB being a particular concern.
Areas without designated hotspots will continue to receive regular neighbourhood patrols as usual.
The impact of patrols has been received largely positively by our residents, business owners and police officers themselves. From a total of 6,337 patrol hours carried out last year, 116 arrests were made, 169 stop and searches and 72 ASB powers carried out, suggesting there has been a direct output following the patrols. However, positive results certainly don’t just boil down to number of arrests.
The initiative has highlighted broader advantages of relationship building and intelligence gathering, as more people are likely to report an incident if they see an officer out on patrol. End of patrol reports from officers frequently confirm that members of the public having been pleased to see them, advising that foot patrols increase their feeling of safety.
In an example, from a recent patrol in Boston, Community Beat Manager PC Craig Lockton and fellow officer PC Dan Lewis were alerted to a man in TK Maxx who’d been spotted by a vigilant member of the public putting a pair of trainers into a Sports Direct bag and walking out without paying.
The member of the public had helpfully let the store know and they subsequently captured an image of the offender from store CCTV.
Thanks to the well-established Shop Watch scheme, PCs Lockton and Lewis were swiftly notified by the store. Police immediately circulated a description of the man where Boston District Council CCTV operatives picked him up on cameras as he was walking through the town. He was seen walking into Merkur Slots, so PCs Lockton and Lewis went to locate him.
The officers found him at a slot machine with the distinctive bag beside him, which – just as suspected – contained a brand-new pair of TK Maxx trainers for which he was unable to provide a receipt. While the absence of witness details meant the case could not proceed to a formal charge, the stolen goods were successfully recovered and returned to the shop.
This incident once again highlights the powerful impact of hotspot patrols, ensuring swift action against potential crime while reinforcing a sense of security among residents and businesses. Our presence on the streets of Boston and across the county is hugely valued and well-received, demonstrating our commitment to protecting the community and preventing crime before it escalates.
Our patrolling will continue to be delivered in partnership with Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue’s Arson Task Force team, and district councils to include the use of Community Wardens and Public Protection ASB officers.
