Trowbridge police team say evidence of issues needed ahead of PSPO

Trowbridge’s policing team has said it is working very closely with Wiltshire Council, Trowbridge Town Council and other organisations around this issue to gather further information as it explores ways to continue its crackdown on crime.

As previously reported, discussions about introducing measures to tackle crime in the town centre are ongoing.

Now, an Inspector leading the team has said discussions with the councils and discussing all of its methods for staying on top of issues in the town centre, including improving CCTV coverage of the town.

One of the measures proposed at a recent Trowbridge Town Council full council on Monday, May 11, was the introduction of a PSPO.

In an update this week, Inspector Andrew Lemon of the Trowbridge Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) has said the force is still reviewing it as a potential option, and will still need to show evidence to support such a measure.

Inspector Lemon said: “Before we would discuss any PSPO proposal further with our colleagues at Wiltshire Council, there would be a need to evidence the issues with data, CCTV and other available information.

“There has been success in taking proactive and robust enforcement historically, however the problem often reoccurs or is displaced to another location.

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“There are also ongoing discussions around enhancing and improving CCTV in the town. This work is ongoing through Trowbridge Town Council.

“We will also work, liaising with colleagues in social care, rough sleepers’ outreach, street scene and substance abuse support teams to build a problem-solving plan.

“Currently discussions and plans are being considered through a Partnership with Wiltshire Council and Trowbridge Town Council.”

Responding to a request for comment on the introduction of a PSPO earlier in the week, Wiltshire Council said it was still reviewing options, and working closely with Wiltshire Police.

Cllr Paul Sample JP, cabinet member for Environment, said: “PSPOs are never introduced lightly and are always developed in partnership with relevant agencies, where we collectively believe they will have the greatest and most positive impact.

“At this stage, we cannot say with certainty whether a PSPO will be introduced, given the formal process required, which includes a period of public consultation.

“However, as previously stated, we are working closely with Wiltshire Police to assess whether this is a necessary step.”

According to statistics shared by Wiltshire Police at the meeting on May 11, Trowbridge saw a total of 1,109 reported crimes between January and April of this year, a rise of 7.3 per cent on the same period the year before.

That jump is roughly in line with the 7 per cent rise in recorded crime across the Wiltshire Policing area, with rises recorded in every category, from violence to sexual offences through to public order offences and drug-related crime.

There was a 7.7 per cent increase in violent crime. Inspector Lemon said that the increase was not linked to the night-time economy.

It was also disclosed that there had been a significant jump in theft, with incident increasing 21.3 per cent.

The data shared at the meeting showed there has been a total of 181 reports of shoplifting reported this year, and increase on 133 the year before.

In July last year, the NPT led a multi-agency walkthrough around the town centre in response to a number of high-profile incidents and arrests. This was followed up by increased patrols and police engagement.

Two months later, businesspeople working in the town centre said they had felt safer. In September 2025, Michelle Witter, co-founder of Food Amore, said the town centre had felt safer at the time.

She said: “Everything’s fine, there’s been no trouble. I don’t know what they’ve done, but it’s calmed right down”