Dispersal Orders for Farnborough and Aldershot

Police in Rushmoor, in partnership with Rushmoor Borough Council, have secured Dispersal Orders for Farnborough and Aldershot town centres under section 30 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003.

The Dispersal Order for Aldershot comes into force from midnight on Wednesday, February 14 and the order for Farnborough town centre and North Camp comes into force from midnight on Thursday, February 15.

The Dispersal Orders will be in place for up to six months and are in response to groups of youths gathering at various locations and causing problems for businesses, shoppers and residents.

Rushmoor Safer Neighbourhoods Inspector, Paul Pressley, said: "These Dispersal Orders will provide officers with an additional enforcement option to deal with those who want to cause unnecessary problems for businesses, shoppers and residents.

"This includes anti-social behaviour by groups of youths and also disorderly behaviour around licensed premises in Aldershot.

"Recently we have noticed the behaviour of a minority of local teenagers deteriorating, particularly in the town centres.

"I would urge parents and guardians to ensure they know exactly where teenagers are socialising before they find officers on their doorstep with their child and the likelihood of further sanctions to follow."

Councillor Graham Tucker, Rushmoor Borough Council's Cabinet member for Safety and Regulation, said: "We are pleased to see these powers being used. Rushmoor Council is committed to tackling anti-social behaviour in all forms and these dispersal orders are another example of that commitment being put into practice.

"I hope they will show the minority who cause anti-social behaviour that we will not tolerate their behaviour in any form." 

Andrew Lloyd, Rushmoor Borough Council's chief executive and chairman of the Rushmoor Community Safety Partnership, said: "The Aldershot order relates to a particular problem involving young people in the town centre, especially in the town centre car parks.

"In Farnborough, it relates to young people drinking in the town centre and causing nuisance and disturbance to shoppers and visitors.  

"This sort of behaviour is unacceptable and these new orders will give the police and our Community Patrol team greater powers and flexibility to help tackle these problems."

Under the Act, uniformed officers can disperse groups of two or more people whose behaviour they believe has, or is likely to, result in any member of the public being intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed by:

• Telling people in the group to leave the area
• Telling people who don't live in the area to leave
• Telling people who don't live in the area not return for a period of up to 24 hours.Anyone who remains in, or returns to, the area after being told to leave can be arrested and could face three months in prison or a fine of up to £5,000

Source: http://www.hampshire.police.uk/