19
Jun
2012
By Calvin at 15:44 GMT, 13 years ago
A 6 month long Dispersal Order is in effect in Bangor with the aim of reducing anti-social behaviour and street drinking. The order gives police (including police community support officers) powers to order groups of two or more to leave the area and failure to comply could lead to prosecution. In addition, the order places a night-time restriction on under 16 year olds who will not be permitted to be in the town centre between the hours of 9pm and 6am unless accompanied by an adult (18 years and older).
The granting of the Order is not without its critics...
Keith Towler, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales was interviewed by the BBC and said “Imposing a ban on all young people is a really heavy handed way of trying to resolve anti-social behaviour. It criminalises all young people and children and it also demonises them. In many ways this will make children and young people feel more angry and less trusted than they already are”
Big Brother Watch Nick Pickles said “It strikes me that this policy is more about the fact that the local agencies and the police haven’t tackled the problem of anti-social behaviour.... this policy is a sledge hammer to crack a nut and it needs rethinking “
Superintendent Peter Newton told the BBC reporter that it was important to point out that “the order gives discretion to police officers and police community support officers to speak with people and then using their discretion whether to give an order or not [to disperse]”
I’m sure we can all think of scenarios where a law abiding fifteen year old (and the vast majority are) would feel annoyed with this Order, but maybe we should hold back judgement until the six months are up to see what the effects have been. The Order is clearly in place to target specific types of behaviour committed by people who are probably well-known to the police. And the police will no doubt be sensitive to the individual’s needs and use their discretion so that 15 ½ year old Johnny, making his way home from a table tennis match through the town centre at 9.15pm (because that’s the quickest and best lit route) will still be allowed to go on his way.
Dispersal Orders are not new and have been used before very effectively, so in some ways it’s surprising how the press and general media have picked up on this one.
