Humberside Police hails success of Safer Streets Summer

Humberside Police said a range of actions including high visibility patrols and dedicated retail enforcement in Bridlington led to a halving of 2024’s reporting of 276 offences in the town of this type last year.

The force said its results were thanks to officers “working relentlessly with local partners and businesses to create lasting, preventative solutions and safer, stronger neighbourhoods.”

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Humberside Police’s Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Ian Foster said: “From June to September, my officers conducted over 112 hours of patrol, walking over 158 miles across both Bridlington and Driffield.

“In December alone and as part of Operation Yuletide supporting the Home Office Winter of Action, they spent almost 172 hours walking 351 miles along the coast of Bridlington engaging with local residents, businesses and visitors.

“Whilst this is business as usual for all our local policing teams, throughout this period of intensification we have seen a noticeable reduction in anti-social behaviour, shop theft, theft, and violent crime.

“With shop theft specifically reducing from 276 offences in 2024, to 138 in 2025 in Bridlington.”

“This has involved completing plain clothed drugs operations with assistance from passive drugs dogs, special constables, and other departments across the force.

“We patrol in both vehicles and on foot within hotspot areas where we have received information around anti-social behaviour and associated crimes.”

In December, the Government announced a £798 million funding boost to police forces across England and Wales to help drive out crime and antisocial behaviour from town centres.

Crime and policing minister, Sarah Jones, said: “We are providing police forces with a significant increase in funding that will allow them to step up their efforts in tackling the crimes that are blighting our communities, including knife crime and antisocial behaviour.

“But we know that funding alone will not deliver our ambitions.

“Police leaders have been crying out for reform, and our upcoming white paper will deliver this to free up officer time and get bobbies back on our streets.”