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Community safety

Bedford Borough Council is part of the Bedford Community Safety Partnership (CSP), which brings together agencies concerned with tackling and reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in Bedford Borough. 

Other members of CSP include:

CSP’s vision is: 

“Tackling crime, disorder, anti-social behaviour, drug and alcohol misuse and increasing perceptions about safety and well-being in our communities.” 

CSP’s key actions are detailed in the 2020-23 Community Safety Partnership Plan.

The Partnership’s priority work areas, as set out in the recent crime and disorder Strategic Assessment 2019 (PDF), are:

  • anti-social behaviour (alcohol and substance related, hate crime and ASB relating to the night time economy)
  • domestic abuse (supporting communities, improving our response) 
  • crimes associated with vulnerable groups (protecting vulnerable adults and children)

For information about our work reducing environmental crime such as fly tipping and graffiti, visit our Keeping Bedford Borough clean section. 

Community Safety Partnership Consultation 2019

Public consultations form an important part of the Partnership’s evaluation process, gathering data on the community's perception of crime and ASB and awareness of emerging issues in both their local area and the Borough as a whole.

The 2019 Consultation informs the work of the Partnership and is incorporated into the Strategic Assessment process.

Domestic Homicide Review 2011

Domestic homicide reviews are carried out to make sure lessons are learned when a person has been killed as a result of domestic violence (domestic homicide).

As a result of a domestic homicide that occurred in 2011, Bedford Community Safety Partnership undertook a Domestic Homicide Review to identify the circumstances that led to the death.

The Executive Summary of the Domestic Homicide Review (PDF) identifies the key findings.

Bed:Safe

Bed:Safe is an initiative established by the North Bedfordshire Community Safety Partnership that recognises that the character of Bedford has changed from a county market town to more of an entertainment venue with a high concentration of licensed premises.  

Specific objectives for Bed:Safe

Reduce the number of alcohol-related assaults and alcohol-related crime in the town centre

  • Work in partnership with the licensed trade to improve the management of licensed premises
  • Promote the provision of safer drinking and safer clubbing and support services for those who visit Bedford’s pubs and clubs
  • Reduce the perception of drunkenness, rowdiness and disorder
  • Improve the movement of people around the town centre at night and thereby reduce the potential for nuisances to be caused and the opportunities for disorder