Crime prevention

We work closely with the police and other partners to maximise our impact on crime and anti-social behaviour.

Get involved

Neighbourhood Watch

Have you thought of joining Neighbourhood Watch? It is the largest voluntary group in the country and is one of the biggest and most successful crime prevention initiatives ever.

Police and Communities Together

Why not attend your local Police and Communities Together meetings (PACT) meetings, which are held every month and discuss crime and anti-social behaviour in your area?

Speed Watch

If speeding is a problem in your neighbourhood, pop along to your local PACT meeting. If speeding is made a PACT priority in your area, local beat teams will set up a Community Speed Watch operation.

Keeping safe

Anti-social behaviour

Anti-social behaviour is associated with everyday problems like nuisance neighbours, noise, graffiti, vehicle crime, vandalism and street drinking. Find out how we tackle these issues on our Anti-social behaviour page which includes an online reporting form.

No ball games

During summertime we receive complaints about children playing football and ball games in the street or in public places. Our Football and ball games complaints page offers advice on how this issue may be addressed.

Cyber crime

Get Safe Online provides practical advice on how to protect yourself, your computers and mobile devices and your business against fraud, identity theft, viruses and many other problems encountered online.

Domestic abuse

Domestic abuse occurs across society regardless of age, gender, sexuality, wealth and geography. These web pages provide advice and contact numbers for outreach services.

Personal, home and vehicle security

Our Personal security web page provides tips to keep you safe. You can also protect your home by taking a few common-sense Home security safety measures. Applying some simple and cheap Vehicle security measures will help keep your vehicle safe. The Pedal safe - lock it or lose it page provides advice to keep your bicycle safe too.

If appropriate, gating private and public alleyways can be used to prevent crime. We have an alley gating scheme which provides more information and allows you to apply for a Gating Order.  

Illegal money lending

Our Illegal money lending web page provides information and advice if you are the victim of a loan shark.

Alcohol harm reduction

The Drugs and alcohol support pages provide advice and contact details for support services available in County Durham.

Bonfire night and firework displays

Celebrate bonfire night in the safest way possible and attend an official, organised public firework display. See a list of organised displays and information on fireworks and the law on our Fireworks, safety and the law page.

Community Safety 

The Government requires specific organisations to work together in partnership to reduce crime in their local area. In County Durham this partnership is called The Safe Durham Partnership. 

Local problem-solving groups

Restorative meetings

A restorative meeting is a structured process that brings together affected parties enabling everyone affected by a particular incident or conflict to play a part in repairing the harm and finding a positive way forward.

Other services

Victim support and witness support

Victim Care and Advice Service is an independent national charity. It helps people cope with crime and supports witnesses attending court. The services are free and available to everyone.

Planning out crime

Our Planning and crime prevention page can help reduce crime through landscape design of new developments and regeneration projects.

Neighbourhood wardens

Neighbourhood wardens tackle environmental anti-social behaviour such as dog fouling and litter. They also promote community involvement and social inclusion especially among young people.

Bullying, harassment and hate crime

Our Harassment - advice and support page provides information on different kinds of harassment, including stalking, and bullying and how to report it. This page also has links to our Concerned about someone - report neglect or abuse page. 

The Hate crimes and incidents page gives further information on hate crimes and incidents and identifies where you can go for help and support and more importantly where you can go to report it.

Support groups and organisations

Locate is a free website that allows you to search county-wide, regional and national information for social care, health and community information, such as arts, leisure, sports and social groups and organisations.