One year on police give update on operation to tackle anti-social behaviour in Houghton and Hetton

Following a spike of youth disorder in both Houghton and Hetton, Northumbria Police launched Operation Avalanche on January 21, 2020 with the aim of reducing anti-social behaviour.

Spearheaded by the neighbourhood policing team and ran in partnership with Sunderland City Council, anti-social behaviour reports have dropped by up to 30% and youth disorder specifically has almost halved in the areas.

The disorder included vandalism and the smashing of bus windows while passengers remained onboard and despite the successes, a number of windows were smashed at Hetton Interchange between 4am and 5am on Tuesday (January 19).

Officers have revealed that more than 50 teenagers have been dealt with by home visits to suspects and their parents, with some persistent offenders reported for public order offences.

Northumbria Police's Inspector Nick Gjorven hailed the impact of Operation Avalanche but insisted nobody is getting complacent about the positive results.

He said: “We are one year on since the launch of Operation Avalanche and the overwhelming feedback has been positive – which supports our crime figures; anti-social behaviour and specifically youth disorder has markedly decreased.

“We know that the anti-social behaviour of a minority can have a significant impact on the public and can make some of our most vulnerable residents feel frightened or anxious in their own homes.

“It has made a significant difference. Between November 2020 and this month, we have seen a 30 per cent overall reduction in anti-social behaviour reports in the Hetton and Houghton areas, with youth disorder specifically reducing by 41 per cent compared to the previous eight-week period.

“While the figures all show a welcome reduction, the unacceptable criminal damage on Tuesday reiterates the need to maintain this momentum and continue to work hard to tackle this type of offending.

“Our message to the public is one of reassurance – we will not be complacent, we have targeted patrols in place to target hotspots or any crime trends, and we will take robust action against those who undermine the fabric of our communities."

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