A 48-HOUR dispersal order has today (Wednesday) been put in Redditch town centre after youth anti-social behaviour spiralled.
The order will run until 4pm on Friday, providing police with the powers to ban from people who cause anti-social behaviour from the town centre. The laws will also be enforced where there is a reasonable belief that they may cause anti-social behaviour or criminality in the local area
Officers are acting in response to an increase in recent incidents of youth anti-social behaviour including them openly smoking drugs and verbally abusing passers-by.
The section 35 Dispersal Order notice under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 is for the mapped area of Redditch Town Centre (above).
Insp Richard Field, Safer Neighbourhood Team Inspector for Redditch, said: “This order aims to prevent the actions of a small minority of youths who have caused anti-social behaviour from ruining it for the majority who just want to go about their normal business in peace.
“We will not tolerate this type of behaviour which has recently included cases of threatening and abusing innocent passers-by, and openly smoking drugs.
“The dispersal order provides police officers additional powers to exclude these people from the town centre if they choose to act in an inappropriate way.”
Insp Field added if people noticed more officers within the town centre, they should not be alarmed. 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.
