Police accused of failures over anti-social behaviour.

BBC article.

To quote;

The way the police in England and Wales deal with complaints of anti-social behaviour has been strongly criticised by the chief inspector of constabulary.

Denis O'Connor said the failure to properly record and tackle incidents undermined confidence in the police, and called for urgent improvements.

A survey of forces by the Inspectorate found that in 23% of incidents of anti-social behaviour officers did not turn up. Almost all the victims in these cases said they were dissatisfied with the explanation given.

Mr O'Connor said the distinction between crime and anti-social behaviour was "artificial" and urged police to take it more seriously. He said: "I think this undermines confidence if it is not dealt with seriously, confidence not just in the police but in general.

"It is partly an individual thing but it also has a wider effect on the community, it adds an air of futility in public."

Derrick Campbell, an adviser on anti-social behaviour to the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers, told the BBC it was time the issue of anti-social behaviour was made a priority. "When we see individuals or gangs of individuals terrorising neighbourhoods, stealing cars, throwing stones at windows, the police have a duty to respond," he said.

"What we are asking for is that the decision makers within the police force ensure that decent people are allowed to live their lives in peace and safety and the police are there as an instrument to the state to ensure that that happens."

The inspectorate found the way police databases logged information about reports of harassment, vandalism and verbal abuse was "inadequate". Most police computer systems were unable to identify people who had been victims before or previously categorised as "vulnerable".