£1.5m hotspot funding boost announced for Nottinghamshire

Crime hotspots across Nottinghamshire are due to benefit from continued high-visibility foot patrols in crime hotspots for at least another year, following a fresh injection of £1.5m in government funding.

The Hotspot Action Fund (HAF) is a Home Office-funded initiative aimed at tackling serious violence, knife crime, and antisocial behaviour (ASB) in the areas most affected across Nottinghamshire.

With a total allocation of £1,529,097 for 2025/26, the fund supports a blend of high-visibility patrols and problem-oriented policing to address both the symptoms and root causes of crime.

Twenty areas of Nottinghamshire, including in the city and across the county, have been identified for the extra hotspot patrols, allowing officers to take overtime working in areas where serious violence and antisocial behaviour are most likely to occur, creating safer spaces for residents and communities.

During May alone, there were a total of 1,196 hours of high-visibility patrols, alongside 233 local authority patrols, carried out in Nottinghamshire’s targeted hotspot areas.

These additional patrols led to 17 arrests, 14 stop and searches, and 35 instances where officers used their powers to tackle antisocial behaviour.

Previous statistics have showed that the extra hotspot patrol activity has had a positive impact, with serious violence falling by nearly six percent in areas where hotspot patrols were operating – outperforming a reduction of three percent countywide.

The impact was even more pronounced in public spaces – where serious violence plummeted by nine percent, compared to a countywide reduction of 3.9 per cent.

Antisocial behaviour offences also fell by 8.2 per cent in hotspot patrol areas, improving safety and quality of life for residents.

Superintendent Heather Maelor is head of Nottinghamshire Police’s Prevention Hub, which is coordinating the Hotspot Action Fund.

The Prevention Hub is a collaboration between multiple force departments responsible for developing and delivering strategies to prevent crime and disorder throughout the city and county.

“I am really pleased that the force has received more funding from the Home Office this year as it gives us the opportunity to build on the success of our high-visibility hotspot policing.

“It will ensure that the public continue to see more police on the streets which is what they often tell us they want to see in their communities.

“Targeted hotspot policing continues to pay dividends in helping us to keep people safe, prevent crime, drive down violence, and provide reassurance.

“These hotspot patrols remain a key part of our success in deterring and reducing offending, as well as improving our engagement with communities and young people.

“Preventing crime before it happens and having the resources to target it where we know it’s happening is a crucial part of keeping our communities safe.”

As well as increased hotspot patrols, more money from the fund is set to go towards funding other crime prevention initiatives and resources in certain hotspot areas as the year progresses.

Residents are encouraged to report concerns in their areas, helping to guide future efforts and ensure resources are deployed where they’re most needed.

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