Community Safety in Exeter  

Whether coming to Exeter to study, to shop, for an evening meal or to enjoy a night out, we should all feel confident that Exeter is a safe place.

The safety of Exeter, both day and night, is a priority for Safer Exeter, the city’s Community Safety Partnership.  A strong city partnership approach ensures Anti-Social Behaviour and crime is addressed swiftly and effectively, and finding the right solutions for Exeter. “Making our city safer for all” is a key focus for Safer Exeter, who are committed to ensuring the safety of our students, residents, visitors and workers.

The following are some of the activities delivered by Safer Exeter partners to make our city safer. These work alongside our own, 24-hour, 7 days a week CCTV and security officers here at Guildhall Exeter.

CCTV

Exeter City Council have invested significantly in the City Centre CCTV network.  Over 300 CCTV cameras are located across the City Centre, which are manned by a team of highly trained professionals monitoring the CCTV network 24/7/365.

Yellow ‘Need Help’ plaques

Managed by Exeter City Council, yellow ‘Need Help’ plaques have been installed near CCTV camera locations, with the CCTV Control Room number on each plaque.  If you are in distress or feel vulnerable, you can call the CCTV Control Room for assistance, quoting the reference number on the plaque.  We encourage all to store the CCTV Control Room in your phone, which is 01392 665008.

Community Safety Team

The Community Safety Team were introduced 2024 to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour in the City Centre.  The team are funded by Exeter City Council, InExeter and the Police & Crime Commissioner.  The team patrol the city centre, enforcing the Public Space Protection Order, dispersing individuals undertaking Anti-Social Behaviour from the City Centre. The team have been expanded to cover neighbourhood shopping precincts, as well as parks and open spaces in the rest of Exeter.

Purple Flag Accreditation

Led by InExeter and supported by the University, Exeter city centre was awarded Purple Flag accreditation spring 2026.  A nationally-recognised mark that celebrates a safe, well-managed, vibrant evening and night-time economy that has a diverse offer, good transport connections with a clear focus on safety and wellbeing.

Safety of Women at Night Charter

The Safety of Women at Night (SWaN) Charter has been developed as part of Exeter’s commitment to keeping the city a safe place, where women feel confident and safe at night. The Safety of Women at Night Charter is a voluntary pledge to prioritise the safety of women in Exeter, and to acknowledge it is the responsibility of all of us to take practical steps together to keep our city safe for everyone.

Exeter Community Safety Charter

The Community Safety Charter unites partners in a shared commitment and purpose to ensure Exeter remains a safe, inclusive, and welcoming place for everyone, regardless of background or circumstance.  The Charter has 5 shared missions which city partners have signed up to:

• Safety & Security
• Collaboration & Partnership
• Dignity & Respect
• Prevention & Intervention

HotSpot Policing

During 2025 and 2026, to address areas of high crime and Anti-Social Behaviour, Devon & Cornwall Police & Crime Commissioner funded dedicated ‘HotSpot’ police patrols in the city centre.  The City Centre Community Safety Team support HotSpot policing, by undertaking patrols in areas with Anti-Social Behaviour.

Anti Social Behaviour Action Plans

InExeter has led on targeted action plans to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour in key City Centre locations, bringing businesses and local organisations together to find solutions and enact on them.

Exeter Business Against Crime

Funded by the business community, Exeter Business Against Crime is a business crime reduction partnership, dedicated to combating crime which impacts on our businesses.  A secure two way radio network links us with the CCTV Control Room and the Community Safety Team, to address shop theft and Anti-Social Behaviour.