A DISPERSAL order has been put in place in Redditch town centre to prevent anti-social behaviour over the bank holiday weekend.
The legislation gives the police the powers to exclude members of the public who cause anti-social behaviour or where there is a reasonable belief that they may cause anti-social behaviour or criminality in the area.
Officers are acting in response to recent incidents including an intoxicated man making threats towards another person on Church Green on August 20.
Later that day there were reports of two women in their 40s involved in a fight.
The Section 35 Dispersal Order notice under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 applies to the mapped area of Redditch Town Centre (above).
Insp Richard Field, from Redditch Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “As we approach the bank holiday weekend, we are aiming to prevent the actions of a small minority who have caused anti-social behaviour from ruining it for the majority.
“We will not tolerate this type of behaviour, which has recently included cases of threatening and abusing innocent passers-by, of which alcohol appears to be a contributing factor.
“The dispersal powers provide police officers additional powers to exclude people from the town centre if they choose to act in an inappropriate way.”
Insp Field added there was a robust policing operation planned with an increase in police presence for this weekend.
He added the public should not be alarmed if they saw more officers within the town centre.
“They are there to help and to prevent any localised anti-social behaviour.
“Please approach the officers if you need to and they will happily assist in any way they can,” he said.
