Police, firefighters and council officers have patrolled the streets of Lowestoft in a bid to tackle criminal and anti-social activity.
The major operation saw officers seize illegal tobacco as well as identify fly-tipping sites and abandoned cars in the town centre.
East Suffolk Council’s licensing, environmental protection and communities teams were joined for the patrol by counterparts from Suffolk Constabulary, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, and Suffolk County Council’s Trading Standards department.
Organised by the East Suffolk Community Safety Partnership (ESCSP), the one-day event, on Tuesday, also involved the council’s waste team and East Suffolk Services.
The teams conducted a series of checks and inspections in retail and residential areas around Lowestoft High Street and Denmark Road.
Trading Standards and licensing officers carried out inspections and tax compliance checks on a number of premises, while police were accompanied by a modern slavery advisor.
Environment Protection officers looked out for abandoned vehicles and fly-tipping, as well as conducting health spot-checks on food venues, while the fire service provided support with residential safety checks.
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Nicole Rickard, East Suffolk Council’s head of communities and leisure, said: “Working together with partner agencies on this type of focused impact day means we can achieve immediate, meaningful results and provide a visible presence in our communities.
“The overwhelming majority of residents and businesses live and work within the law, but we are prepared to take proportionate action where we find rules being broken.”
Among the results achieved during the event were:
• One prohibition notice and one Notice of Deficiencies issued by Suffolk Fire and Rescue Services’ Protection Department
• One seizure of illicit tobacco by Trading Standards
• A series of suspected abandoned cars identified, with enquiries continuing
• 13 fly-tipping sites identified and clean-ups planned
• Intelligence obtained and enquiries continuing around a number of matters, including an unregistered house in multiple occupation (HMO)
• Community engagement to understand local concerns and issues, and to discuss with relevant partners
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