Crime in Rossmere, Hartlepool

Drug dealing and drug or substance misuse continue to be concerns raised by residents across the ward, and we remain firmly committed to tackling both the use and supply of controlled drugs within our communities. This issue remains a central focus of our daily work, as we recognise the significant harm that drug activity causes not only to individuals directly involved, but also to families, neighbourhoods, and the younger generation who may be vulnerable to exploitation.

Our overarching aim is to make the town as safe as possible by targeting those who profit from criminality and cause the greatest harm. Much of our recent progress has been driven by proactive policing. A notable proportion of recent drug‑related arrests have come from officers stopping individuals for unrelated offences, only to find controlled substances during subsequent searches. This approach is highly effective: it disrupts drug supply, removes harmful substances from circulation, and helps us identify wider criminal networks operating behind the scenes.

We will continue to pursue those who exploit vulnerable people, ensuring they are brought to justice. At the same time, we remain committed to providing wrap‑around support to anyone who has been drawn into exploitation or coerced into criminal behaviour. Working alongside specialist services, we aim to safeguard individuals, reduce harm, and prevent further victimisation.

Our work also extends to tackling counterfeit goods, including illegal cigarettes and vapes. These items pose significant risks to health and wellbeing, particularly for young people, and often form part of wider criminal enterprises linked to drug supply. By targeting these products through enforcement and partnership activity, we are disrupting the financial incentives that fuel organised crime.

Education remains a vital part of our strategy. We continue to work with young people through schools, youth groups, and community organisations to raise awareness about the dangers of substance misuse. By helping young people understand the long‑term consequences health risks, criminal implications, and vulnerability to exploitation we aim to prevent harmful behaviours before they begin. Early intervention is essential in reducing future demand for drugs and supporting young people to make informed, positive choices.

Partnership working underpins all of our efforts. We work closely with local authority teams, health services, housing providers, and community organisations to ensure a coordinated response that combines enforcement with prevention and support. This joined‑up approach allows us to address the root causes of drug‑related harm while also taking decisive action against those responsible for supplying controlled substances.

Through enforcement, prevention, education, and strong partnership working, we will continue to drive this work forward and protect our communities from the harm caused by drug dealing and substance misuse.

Anti‑social behaviour (ASB) remains a key priority across the ward, with residents, businesses, and partner agencies continuing to raise concerns about the impact it has on daily life. We recognise the harm that persistent ASB can cause ranging from intimidation and nuisance behaviour to criminality and we remain committed to reducing these issues through a balanced, proactive, and partnership‑led approach.

We continue to work closely with partner agencies and local education providers to reduce the harm caused by ASB across our communities. This collaborative work is essential in ensuring that young people and vulnerable individuals are offered meaningful education, guidance, and diversionary opportunities that help prevent issues from escalating. By addressing the root causes of behaviour early, we aim to reduce the likelihood of repeat incidents and support individuals in making positive choices.

Our teams will proactively target key locations and individuals involved in persistent ASB to protect residents from becoming victims of crime. This includes regular high‑visibility patrols, targeted problem‑solving activity, and intelligence‑led deployments to areas where concerns have been raised. We will continue to listen to the community and adapt our approach as new issues emerge.

Alongside prevention and early intervention, we will make full use of the civil and criminal legislation available to us. This includes Community Protection Notices, Criminal Behaviour Orders, and tenancy enforcement measures where appropriate. These tools allow us to intervene effectively, place restrictions on those causing harm, and support housing providers in maintaining safe and secure living environments. Enforcement is an important part of our strategy, but it is always used alongside efforts to encourage long‑term behavioural change.

By blending robust enforcement with early intervention, education, and support, we aim to create safer neighbourhoods and reduce the impact of ASB on those who live and work within our communities. Our focus remains on preventing harm, protecting victims, and ensuring that everyone feels safe and confident in their local area.

We will continue to work closely with residents, partners, and community groups to ensure concerns are heard and addressed. Your information and feedback play a vital role in shaping our priorities and helping us target our resources where they are needed most. Together, we will continue to build a safer, stronger community.

The community has continued to raise concerns regarding anti‑social vehicle use, dangerous driving, and the increasing link between these behaviours and the misuse of off‑road bikes. These issues create significant disruption across the ward, affecting residents’ quality of life and contributing to wider anti‑social behaviour. Vehicles being driven at excessive speed, performing reckless manoeuvres, or being used in an intimidating manner pose clear risks to pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users. We fully recognise the impact this has on feelings of safety, and addressing these concerns remains a key priority for our policing teams.

A number of the reports we receive highlight that anti‑social driving and off‑road bike activity are often connected, with the same individuals involved in both. Off‑road bikes in particular cause damage to green spaces, footpaths, and farmland, while also creating noise nuisance and distress for residents. Tackling this issue requires a coordinated and sustained approach, and we continue to work closely with our partners to ensure that happens.

Community Speedwatch plays an important role in helping us identify problem areas and gather accurate data on driving behaviour. Volunteers working alongside officers provide valuable insight into where speeding is most prevalent, enabling us to target our resources effectively. This community‑led approach strengthens our understanding of local concerns and supports our wider enforcement activity.

In addition, our Roads Policing Units and the Camera Safety Department are actively supporting this work. Their involvement includes targeted enforcement operations, mobile speed checks, and the use of specialist equipment to deter and detect dangerous driving. These teams also assist in identifying vehicles linked to persistent anti‑social behaviour, allowing us to take further action where necessary.

We will continue to carry out targeted patrols, seize illegal off‑road bikes, and take robust action against those who put others at risk. Community intelligence remains essential, and we encourage residents to report concerns so we can respond swiftly and effectively.

Our aim is to reduce harm, improve safety, and ensure that our neighbourhoods remain places where people feel confident, supported, and secure.

We remain committed to working closely with our community and partner organisations to address this issue in every way possible. In several locations, we have taken steps to ‘design out’ the hotspots where these problems most often occur, as well as the areas regularly reported to us. Education is also a key part of our approach, and we are increasing our work with local schools to raise awareness about the dangers and consequences of using illegal e scooters and bikes. By helping young people understand the risks, we aim to prevent these behaviours before they begin. We also rely heavily on information from residents about where these vehicles are being stored. When we know where they are kept, we can remove them from the streets, ensuring they are destroyed rather than sold on. Community reporting remains essential in helping us keep our neighbourhoods safe and free from illegal vehicles.

We remain firmly committed to tackling the use and supply of controlled drugs within our communities, and this continues to be a key focus of our daily work. Our aim is to make the town as safe as possible for residents and the younger generation by targeting those who profit from exploitation and cause the greatest harm. Many of the recent increases in drug related arrests are directly linked to proactive policing, where individuals stopped for other offences are subsequently searched and found in possession of controlled substances. This approach not only disrupts drug activity but also helps us identify wider criminal networks. We will continue to pursue those who exploit vulnerable people, ensuring they are brought to justice while also providing wrap around support to anyone who has been drawn into exploitation. Our work also includes tackling counterfeit goods such as illegal cigarettes and vapes, which pose significant risks to health and wellbeing. Through enforcement, prevention, and partnership, we will keep driving this work forward.