Making communities safer this Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week

For Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week (30 June to 6 July) the Royal Borough of Greenwich is holding a series of community safety events and sharing how they have been cracking down on anti-social behaviour.

Anti-social behaviour is defined as behaviour by a person which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to someone who is not within their household.

Throughout the week, we are holding community engagement events in our local libraries so residents can learn more about what anti-social behaviour is, how to report it safely and where to find support in our community. Come along to learn more and ask our safety experts any questions. 

• Monday 30 June, 10am to 2pm, Greenwich Centre Library, 12 Lambarde Square, SE10 9G
• Tuesday 1 July, 10am to 2pm, Plumstead Centre Library, 232 Plumstead High Street, SE18 1 JL
• Wednesday 2 July, 10am to 2pm, Thamesmead Library/ Morrisons Car Park, Thamesmere Drive, SE28 8RE
• Thursday 3 July, 10am to 2pm, Eltham Centre Library, Archery Road, SE9 1HA
• Friday 4 July, 10am to 2pm, Woolwich Centre Library, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ

A council spokesperson said: “We work hard with the police to crack down on anti-social behaviour in Royal Greenwich and have increased patrols in areas residents are concerned about. If you ever experience or witness anti-social behaviour please do report it to the police.  

“We encourage anyone who would like to find out more about what the council is doing to combat anti-social behaviour, or would like some advice, to attend one of our drop-in events and speak to the team confidentially.”   

Between November 2024 to June 2025, the council issued 3,854 fines for anti-social behaviour in the community, including 502 interventions when individuals have breached Public Space Protection Orders. We have conducted 380 visits investigating reports of noise nuisance and handed out 14 abatement notices to problematic addresses due to noise complaints. In this time period, six premises have been closed due to persistent cases of anti-social behaviour. 

We have increased patrols across Royal Greenwich in areas informed by resident feedback and evidence gathered by the council’s CCTV camera network. Our CCTV team have logged 2,900 reports of anti-social behaviour in this time frame. 

Cuckooing is an extreme form of anti-social behaviour. This is when a person or group use someone else's home as their base for the production or dealing of drugs. In the last seven months we have had 36 referrals related to potential cuckooing cases. 

Our community safety team recently intervened when a tenant living alone with health problems was ‘cuckooed’ by their daughter who had brought groups of people into the home who refused to leave and caused damage. 

After an intervention by the council, much-needed repairs were booked in, locks were changed and a deep clean of the property was arranged. Following the tenant’s hospital discharge, a carer was arranged, and the tenant was linked into Via, our local substance misuse team, for support with their drug addiction. The Safer Spaces team continue to carry out patrols by the property and his daughter was told to stay away, which is being monitored. 

To improve public safety across the borough, in 2023 the council launched five Safehaven Superhubs in local branches of McDonald’s: 

• Yorkshire Grey McDonald's in Middle Park 
• Powis Street McDonald's in Woolwich 
• Eltham McDonald's on Eltham High Street 
• Cutty Sark McDonald's in Greenwich 
• Thamesmead McDonald's.  

Residents can visit any of these locations where trained staff will be able to help them if they are in public and feel threatened, are in danger, are being harassed on the street, are unwell or just in need of some help. 

Learn more about how to report anti-social behaviour.

In loving memory of Joseph Kitaka 

In March 2025 the council sadly lost a valued colleague Joseph Kitaka. Joseph started his career at the council as a Community Safety Enforcement Officer before becoming a Digital Evidence Officer covering our borough-wide CCTV network. Joseph made a big impact in keeping our community safe and was a very positive and charismatic member of the team. Joseph will truly be missed by his colleagues, family and everyone who knew him.