Community Safety - Initiatives
Different issues need different ways of dealing with them. We have a number of initiatives to help us tackle problems.
Community Priority Areas
These are areas with ongoing and re-occurring problems which need more than the police to resolve.
Rural Safety Initiatives
These start with a self-assessment of local issues (safety, security and anti-social ) which are then considered by a local parish-based committee. The Community Safety Team and Safer Neighbourhood Teams will provide support and ways to get help from other partner agencies (eg the Youth Service and Housing etc).
Dispersal Areas
These are zones where groups of two or more people who are behaving anti-socially can be moved on by police. If they live within the zone, they can be moved away from the immediate location. If they do not live in the zone they can be told to move out of the whole dispersal area. They can be prevented from returning for up to 24 hours. Those who appear to be 15 years old or under can be taken home by police after 9pm if they are not in the care of a responsible adult aged 18 or above.
Dispersal areas are designated for six months and can be renewed for a further six months. It is unlikely for a dispersal to be extended for longer than a year. They are only intended to give respite to areas whilst longer-term solutions are put in place.
Designated Public Place Orders (DPPOs)
DPPO powers enable local authorities to designate places where restrictions on public drinking apply. These powers are not intended to disrupt peaceful activities, for example families having a picnic in a park or a glass of wine on the beach.
Basically, once an area is designated, the police, Police Community Support Officers and Accredited Community Safety Officers have the discretionary power to tell people to stop drinking alcohol in that public place. They can also seize the alcohol. It is not a criminal offence to drink alcohol in these places, it is only an offence to continue to do so after being asked to stop by an officer. This legislation applies to people aged 16 and above.
In accordance with the provisions of section 13 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 and section 26 of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, we have been collating evidence to apply for Designated Public Place Orders in certain places across the East Hampshire District. You need evidence of alcohol related nuisance or annoyance to the public or disorder in the proposed area/s and this needs to be linked to the consumption of alcohol in that public place. Please see the attached pdf below for a list of roads in the proposed areas and a map showing these boundaries.
Crack-House Closures
These only relate to addresses where Class A drugs (eg heroin and cocaine) are used, supplied or produced and the premises is also the subject of serious nuisance or disorder. These closures are applied for at magistrates court by the police and if granted the premises is closed to everyone for 3 months.