Have your say on local policing priorities

Have your say on local policing priorities

Hello Resident

As the Neighbourhood Policing Team Sergeant, I would like to provide you with an update on the local issues that we will prioritise and address over the coming months.

Tackle e-scooters and e-bikes riding anti-socially or dangerously on public roads or pavements.

This will be around the Town Centre, Station Road, Wheathampstead High Street, Nicky Line and Redbourn. There have been calls from the public about off road bikes being driven dangerously down the Nicky Line. We have seen Anti-Social Riding through the Town Centre. Councillors have also been informed by public about the concerns for E-Scooters and illegal bikes around the areas.

We will be doing:

We will focus on educating riders about the law around e-scooters and e-bikes. This will be followed up by enforcement action, including section 59 seizures of bikes for anyone riding anti-socially or illegally.

A Sarron bike was seized for riding the wrong way down High Street, Harpenden, on footpaths and making off from uniformed officers on 21st JULY 2026. The 17-year-old rider was arrested and charged with driving with no insurance, driving without licence and possession of an offensive weapon (a knuckle duster).

Tackle Anti-Social behaviour around local parks, including drinking alcohol, smoking drugs and abusive behaviour

This will including Rothampstead Park, The Common, Redbourn Common, Wheathampstead playing fields, Oakley Road.

5 young people teenagers have been identified as causing Anti-Social behaviour, their parents have been informed, and we have issued Acceptable Behaviour Agreements (ABAs) to the young people. If they breach these conditions, they may be given the more serious Criminal Behaviour Order. We are working with our community safety unit to issue further ABAs to young people causing problems in local parks. We are also working with partners from local authorities.

We will continue to patrol the parks regularly in high vis as well as in plain clothes.

We are working with the local parish and town councils and in the process of setting up sports activities. This is a new incentive which will take some time to arrange.

We are removing a previous priority which was - Tackle speeding in Harpenden and Sandridge.

We did:

We have carried out speed enforcement in several roads across Harpenden, Wheathampstead and Redbourn and villages. This also included Redbourn Road. Herts roads policing team have also assisted with speed enforcement around the locations.

We will continue to deal with those exceeding the limit for the safety of all road users but it will no longer be a neighbourhood priority. The presence of officers reminds drivers to slow down.

2 drivers summonsed to court by neighbourhood team.

We will continue to work with our road policing colleagues who will patrol hotspot areas.

Neighbourhood Police Teams work alongside our Response teams who respond to 999 calls and the Crime Investigation detectives who handle many of the local investigations. Our role is dedicated to working with our communities, providing this dedicated support and focus. We will keep you all updated with good work we are doing in the area.

Thank you for your time, kind regards

Mark

PS 377 Mark Essam

NPT SGT for Harpenden, Wheathampstead, Redbourn and Sandridge

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Mark Essam
(Hertfordshire Constabulary, Sergeant, St Albans - Harpenden & Rural)