Crime in saltwell, gateshead

High-visibility patrols and regular use of dispersal orders are helping to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.

A multi-agency approach continues to be central to tackling street drinking and associated antisocial behaviour (ASB) in Gateshead Town Centre. Through collaboration with Gateshead Council, we’ve introduced Town Ambassadors and established a dedicated Town Centre Policing Team to ensure consistency and visibility. We're now 18 months into a structured POP (Problem-Oriented Policing) plan targeting public order offences, theft from shops, and ASB. Monthly partnership meetings provide an opportunity to engage with local stakeholders, share progress, and align on future priorities.

Working with the council to rehouse vulnerable tenants at risk of urban street gang cuckooing.

Street drinking led to daily violence and intimidation in public spaces. We responded by implementing targeted enforcement strategies, including civil orders and tenancy interventions where appropriate. Education and diversionary initiatives are being run in collaboration with drug/alcohol treatment services to reduce relapse and encourage recovery. There has been a marked reduction in repeated incidents at hotspot locations like Jackson Street and Trinity Square.

While the town centre issues aren’t directly linked to OCG activity, we’ve ensured our policing and intelligence-led efforts are aligned to wider objectives. Regular briefings, joint tasking meetings, and early disruption tactics have been embedded to prevent any OCG exploitation of vulnerable individuals drawn into street-level ASB or substance misuse.