Northumbria Police officers conducted a “day of action” in the Herrington Country Park area of Sunderland to combat antisocial behaviour.

The park has been reported as a hotbed for antisocial behaviour, particularly off-road biking. According to Northumbria Police, riding quad bikes, three-wheeled bikes, trail bikes, and other two-wheeled vehicles on public land without permission from the local authority is illegal.

Op Capio and Sunderland’s Neighbourhood Policing team successfully addressed motorbike disorder in a popular biking spot.

Northumberland Police stopped several motorbikes and spoke with their riders, resulting in a Section 165 uplift. Two Gryphon notices were also issued on the day, allowing young people to reflect on their behaviour and divert from crime before further action is taken.

A 17-year-old boy was arrested and charged with possessing a class B drug, driving without insurance and driving without a licence. He is scheduled to appear before magistrates in South Tyneside in May. One Section 59 notice was issued for the anti-social use of vehicles.

The day was chosen “tactically” to conduct the operation during the Easter holidays, allowing officers to speak with young people who may be influenced into engaging in antisocial behaviour.

It gave Northumbria Police the opportunity to identify individuals and devise a strategy for engaging with parents and schools, highlighting antisocial behaviour, defining what it is, and what it may mean for their future.

Sergeant Patrick Scott of Northumbria Police’s Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “As the weather warms up and more people gather outside, we see an increase in reports of ASB – and we take each and every one of these reports seriously.

“We have some really iconic parks and green spaces here in Sunderland, and everyone should be able to enjoy them without worrying about a dangerous off-road motorbike passing by.

“We will continue to hold high-visibility days of action, reinforcing our message to the small group of people who choose to cause distress in our communities: we will not tolerate it.

“Thank you to those who continue to report ASB and motorbike disorder in your local area, it really helps us to build up intelligence on troublesome areas and ensure we’re putting our time and resources into dealing with the issues that matter the most to you.”

Anyone with information about ASB in their community can contact Northumbria Police by sending a direct message on social media or using the Force’s website’s live chat and report forms. If you are unable to contact the force online, please call 101.

Officers are urging members of the public to include as much information as possible when reporting off-road motorbike disorder, such as the number of drivers and what they were wearing, the vehicle registration, the date, time, location of the incident, and the direction the vehicle was travelling.

The Labour government and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have launched a new initiative to increase the number of “bobbies on the beat” in local neighbourhoods, making neighbourhood policing more common.

The announcement of the day of action by Northumbria Police is an example of what we can expect to see more of in the future, hopefully with community policing increased to combat the sharp rise in instances of antisocial behaviour.

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