Devon & Cornwall Police: Community Challenge & Antisocial Behavior

Devon & Cornwall Police are balancing community engagement with enforcement as they tackle antisocial behavior across the region. Recent initiatives include a hands-on police challenge for students at Kingsbridge Community College and a targeted crackdown on persistent nuisance behavior in several towns.

Devon & Cornwall Police in Action: Community Challenge and Antisocial Behavior

Year 10 students at Kingsbridge Community College recently took part in a unique police challenge event delivered in partnership with Devon & Cornwall Police during the college's Discovery Challenge Week. The immersive experience saw students work alongside officers during a fictional investigation, learning how evidence is gathered, witnesses are interviewed, and incidents are managed.

The scenario began with students responding to a simulated incident involving an injured person before progressing through the stages of a police investigation. As part of the exercise, the wider college community also took part in a planned lockdown practice, allowing students and staff to experience how schools and emergency services work together to keep people safe during an emergency.

PC Sam McGregor, Kingsbridge and Rural Neighbourhood Beat Manager, said: "Working with schools in this way allows young people to gain a better understanding of modern policing and the important role we play within our communities."

Tina Graham, Principal at Kingsbridge Community College, added: "This was an incredibly valuable opportunity for our students to experience first-hand the professionalism, teamwork and decision making involved in policing."

The police challenge formed part of the college's Year 10 Discovery Challenge Week, which provides students with experiences designed to broaden horizons, develop life skills, and inspire future aspirations. Throughout the day, students developed problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills while gaining a greater understanding of the wide range of careers available within policing and public service.

This community engagement effort complements the force's broader enforcement strategy against antisocial behavior (ASB), demonstrating how proactive education and targeted legal action work together to build safer communities.

Antisocial Behavior Concerns Across the Peninsula

While the Kingsbridge initiative highlights proactive community engagement, Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez is also addressing rising concerns about antisocial behavior (ASB) in towns across Devon and Cornwall. Several town councils have written to Commissioner Hernandez to raise concerns over persistent behavior in areas including Looe, Brixham, Ilfracombe, and Exmouth.

In a report to the Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime Panel on July 17, 2026, the Commissioner highlighted work being carried out across the peninsula to tackle ASB, including the use of legal powers designed to prevent persistent nuisance and disorder. Supported by a dedicated ASB legal advisor funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, over the past year targeted interventions have included 31 closure orders, youth civil injunctions, prosecutions for injunction breaches, and more than 40 Community Protection Warnings and Notices.

Commissioner Hernandez welcomed the use of these powers, saying: "The use of these powers send a clear message that communities should not have to tolerate persistent antisocial behaviour."

Encouraging Signs in Reported ASB

According to the Commissioner's report, in the 12 months to May 2026, there was a 10.2% reduction in ASB incidents reported to Devon and Cornwall Police, falling from 26,695 incidents to 23,969. According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, more than half (52.1%) of respondents in Devon and Cornwall agree the police and local council are dealing with the ASB and crime issues that matter.

Commissioner Hernandez encourages anyone affected by ASB to report it every time to ensure resources are allocated where they are needed most. "I am pleased to report that levels of police reported ASB have reduced in our communities, and I encourage anyone affected by these issues to report it every time to ensure resources are allocated where they are needed most," she said.

For more information on Devon & Cornwall Police initiatives, visit their official news page at https://news.devon-cornwall.police.uk.