Public urged to have their say on Barnstaple policing

Police in Barnstaple want to hear from what concerns the community has about crime and other policing issues in the town.

The feedback will help shape policing plans and allow officers to target their resources to increase public confidence and make a difference.    

Barnstaple Neighbourhood Sergeant Laura Lloyd said: “We are already running some operations throughout April which will mainly focus on reducing youth anti-social behaviour (ASB) and drugs issues in the town centre to increase feelings of safety.

“We also want to ask the community to help us by spending a minute or two of their time filling in the short survey so we can gather local opinion about what the public think are the main concerns in Barnstaple.

“Our Neighbourhood Policing Team carry out regular foot patrols to engage with the public and we have achieved some positive results for local people including: making arrests, obtaining closure orders for nuisance premises and Criminal Behaviour Orders to deal with offenders.”

A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) is in place for the Barnstaple Pannier Market. This order was granted by the local authority and runs from February 1 this year for three years.

The PSPO bans consumption of alcohol, illegal drugs, littering, nuisance behaviour and ball games or skateboarding in the area. Anyone flouting the rules may be subject to a fine.  

In January 2025 the third most reported crime type in Barnstaple Sector was anti-social behaviour (22 incidents). 

Barnstaple is one of the 13 areas in the Devon and Cornwall Police region given extra funding to provide extra high visibility officer patrols in hotspot areas where ASB is known to be an issue.

Police work closely with partner agencies such as the local authority and are supported by street marshals.

The street marshals in Barnstaple are Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) approved which means they have extra powers and are formally recognised for their work. They can ask names and addresses of those they speak to and can issue fixed penalty notices, for example.    

The force said evidence demonstrates hotspot policing reduces serious violence and ASB levels when delivered effectively.

To access the short survey and have your say please visit the Barnstaple Police Facebook page or the Devon & Cornwall Police website Have Your Say 2025

The closing date to complete the survey is Sunday, April 20.

If you prefer face to face contact and want to report any concerns or speak to officers, call into the Barnstaple Public Enquiry Office at Seven Brethren, EX31 2AS. The office is open Monday to Saturday between 9.30am and 4pm but closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

You can hear Barnstaple Inspector Andy Wills speaking about recent police activity and local Neighbourhood Police Team updates when he next appears on The Voice radio station on Wednesday, April 2 at around 10.20am. 

The public are also encouraged to sign up to the two-way community messaging system Devon and Cornwall Alert to receive incident updates and crime prevention advice. Find out more by visiting the website Home Page - Devon and Cornwall Alert