Margate Central

Your Neighbourhood Policing Team is made up of Kent Police beat officers who are dedicated to keeping your community safe. They focus on preventing crime and antisocial behaviour, responding to local concerns, and building strong relationships with residents, community groups and local businesses.

Our officers will:

  • patrol to deter crime and reassure the public

  • hold regular engagement activities in the area, including attending community meetings to share advice and listen to concerns

  • work with partner agencies including councils, schools, charities, and local groups

  • tackle issues like antisocial behaviour, repeat offending, and vulnerability

  • build trust by being visible, approachable, and responsive

Neighbourhood policing is a key part of Kent Police’s commitment to being community-focused, visible, and responsive.

Report crime

Please do not contact neighbourhood officers to report crime.

If it's not an emergency, the easiest way to contact us is online. Your report will be sent direct to our control room where it will be reviewed by the same team who answer our calls.

  • in an emergency, call 999

  • call 101 for non-emergency enquiries

Laura Smith (Kent Police, Police constable, Thanet Neighboured Beat Officer)

Laura Smith

Police constable

Lydia Beard (Kent Police, Police Constable, Thanet Neighbourhood beat officer)

Lydia Beard

Police Constable

Local Priority Issues

Priority Action taken

Antisocial behaviour - nuisance.

Issued 03 February 2026

PC Smith and PC Beard, your ward officers, have been working closely with Thanet District Council to tackle ongoing issues around the Cecil Square area. As part of this joint approach, benches in the square have been removed to help reduce antisocial behaviour and prevent groups from gathering in ways that cause problems for the community.

The officers have also been issuing Community Protection Warnings (CPWs) and Community Protection Notices (CPNs). A CPW is a formal warning telling someone their behaviour must stop, and a CPN is a legal notice requiring them to change their behaviour. These powers allow officers to take firm action, including dispersing individuals causing disorder in Margate Central and seizing alcohol when it contributes to the behaviour.

PC Smith and PC Beard are also working with the Child‑Centred Policing Team to identify a group of young people involved in antisocial behaviour in the High Street and local shops. These individuals are being dealt with for other offences as part of ongoing policing work.

Please keep telling PC Smith and PC Beard what matters to you, either by attending their ward surgeries or by contacting them through My Community Voice. If you don’t have an account, you can choose to sign up by searching ‘My Community Voice’ online.

Actioned 17 March 2026

Alcohol.

Issued 03 February 2026

Alcohol‑related antisocial behaviour (ASB) remains an important issue in the area. PC Beard and PC Smith are working closely with Thanet District Council, particularly around Cecil Square, where changes such as the removal of benches have been made to help reduce problems and improve safety.

Officers are using Community Protection Warnings (CPWs) and Community Protection Notices (CPNs) to deal with alcohol‑related ASB. A CPW is a formal warning telling someone that their behaviour must stop, and a CPN is a legal notice requiring them to change their behaviour. These powers allow police to move people on when they are causing trouble and to seize alcohol where permitted.

This work is ongoing and aims to keep people who live, work and visit Margate Central safe and supported.

Please continue to tell PC Beard and PC Smith about anything that concerns you by attending their ward surgeries or contacting them on My Community Voice. If you don’t have an account, you can choose to sign up by searching for ‘My Community Voice’ online.

Actioned 17 March 2026

Drug dealing.

Issued 03 February 2026

PC Smith and PC Beard have been carrying out ‘safe and well’ checks in the Margate area. These checks help officers make sure that vulnerable people are safe and that no one is at risk. As part of this work, they visited several homes believed to be linked to drug activity.

During one visit, the officers found a man inside a property who they suspected was involved in dealing drugs. Using their powers under the Misuse of Drugs Act, they stopped and searched him. Drugs were found at the address, and the man was arrested for drug‑supply offences. He is now being dealt with through the criminal justice process.

PC Smith and PC Beard will continue these checks to help keep the community safe and prevent drug crime from affecting local residents. Information from the public helps them understand where to go and what to focus on.

Please keep telling PC Smith and PC Beard about anything that concerns you by attending their ward surgeries or contacting them on My Community Voice. If you don’t have an account, you can choose to sign up by searching for ‘My Community Voice’ online.

Actioned 17 March 2026

What members in Margate Central are saying are the issues in the area:

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Upcoming Events

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Margate Central Surgery
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Westbrook and Garlinge Neighbourhood Engagement Meeting
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Westbrook and Garlinge Neighbourhood Engagement Meeting
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Westbrook and Garlinge Neighbourhood Engagement Meeting

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