A WATCHDOG has criticised North Yorkshire Police for failing to improve the way the force tackles antisocial behaviour.

In a report published today, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) said North Yorkshire Police (NYP) had made little progress in “how it understands and tackles” the problem since the force was last scrutinised in spring 2010 as part of a nationwide analysis of antisocial behaviour.

Roger Baker, HM Inspector of Constabulary for the Northern Region, said although NYP had identified antisocial behaviour as a force-wide problem and outlined an improvement plan, it had not been sufficiently developed.

He said: “Antisocial behaviour is a blight that can wreck lives and communities. Our review shows that NYP has made little progress in how it tackles the problem. There is absolutely no room for complacency.

“In particular, NYP must ensure repeat and vulnerable callers are identified correctly, staff are fully aware of ASB definitions and that the right recoding processes are in place. This will be a step towards delivering a much better service to victims.”

The force was praised on feedback from a survey on victims of antisocial behaviour, which shows the force as above average for customer satisfaction.

The report also praised the force for working well with partner agencies.

Iain Spittal, North Yorkshire Police’s Assistant Chief Constable, welcomed the report’s recommendations and said the force had been working to tackle the problem, reducing antisocial behaviour by eight per cent over the past year, equating to 3,000 fewer victims.

He said the survey results were particularly encouraging, but said: “Nevertheless, North Yorkshire Police has reflected on the areas for development and is actively taking steps to drive all of them forward. Make no mistake, antisocial behaviour can be a scourge on people’s lives and can affect whole neighbourhoods if left to fester. North Yorkshire Police and our partners fully recognise this and we simply will not tolerate such behaviour.”