A dispersal order will be put in place in Wisbech in a bid to reduce anti-social behaviour in the town from tomorrow.
The order, issued by the local policing team and Fenland District Council, will start from Thursday, July 26.
It enables officers to move people on from an area where they suspect anti-social behaviour is taking place. The order will initially be in place between 2pm and 2am.
Inspector Ian Lombardo, from the Fenland Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Although there is already a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in place in Wisbech we are aware that there have been a number of concerns from the local community around the behaviour of individuals in the area.
“I wish to highlight this is not another power to deal with street drinking, it is to deal with anti-social behaviour and will allow PCSOs and police officers to direct a person to leave the area covered by the authority.”
The order covers the A1101 junction with North Street, Old Market, Cromwell Road, Coal Wharf Road, Queens Road, Victoria road and West Street through to Churchill Road, Norwich Road, Bowthorpe Road, Townshend Road and back up to the A1101 junction with North Street.
It has been granted under Section 34 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, and allows PCSOs and police officers to direct a person to leave the area specified within the order if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that their behaviour has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to members of the public. Failure to comply with the order can result in arrest.
Inspector Lombardo added: “The authorisation will be reviewed for each week it is in place to ensure its use remains proportionate and necessary and that it covers the days and times when it will be most effective.
“At the end of the initial two-week period we will consider if there is a requirement to extend the use of this power which will include further consultation with our partner agencies.
“With the school holidays having now started the area covered by this order will naturally have a higher proportion of children within it and I want to do all I can to make sure that people feel safe in the area.”
• MORE DISPERSAL NEWS:
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