There have been more than 50 covid-related incidents in Congleton since the start of the latest national lockdown, according to police.
Speaking at a meeting of the town council’s Community and Environment Committee, where regular updates are given on local policing matters, a police spokesperson said covid incidents were “pretty steady”. They also identified the force’s current priority of focusing on rural crime.
He said: “We’re approaching lambing season so that includes education for officers as well as the public, and enforcement. So it’s about identifying if we have any problem premises and improving their infrastructure to prevent livestock on the highway, which we get many, many calls about on our rural beats.”
Referring to incidents of lockdown breaches he said: “We’ve got no covid repeat locations and covid-related incidents stand at 54, which is pretty steady since full lockdown was implemented again.”
In January, the police identified Mow Cop castle as a location where people had repeatedly gathered but that “through lots and lots of patrols this has now been resolved”.
The spokesperson added: “The issues over at Mow Cop, anti-social behaviour and covid breaches have largely been resolved.
“This is through enforcement fixed penalties and lots and lots of patrols up there, and with the assistance of the ranger.”
Police are also concentrating on tackling drug-related crimes. He said: “We’ve had some recent success over on the east of the town with three arrests for drug-related offences including supply.
“We are targeting a suspect over in Congleton West for drug supply and anti-social behaviour and we continue our efforts over on the east with drug enforcements there as well.”
Cheshire Police additionally confirmed that funding in Congleton “has had 100% success across” all the wards and that money has been agreed.
The money described as “122 funding” is the new community policing model for Cheshire that commenced in September with the aim of working closer with the 122 policing communities across the force area.
