Date: 16/12/2008
New measures are being introduced into the Hadfield area for the New Year to help target anti-social and nuisance behaviour.
A section 30 dispersal order has been made for the Hadfield Safer Neighbourhood area and will run for a period of six months.
It follows complaints from the local community of anti-social and nuisance behaviour, including criminal damage and under-age drinking in the area.
The issue was also highlighted by residents as a top priority for the police and partnership agencies to work on during the recent Hadfield Beat Sweep.
The order, introduced by Derbyshire Constabulary, in conjunction with the High Peak Community Safety Partnership, gives both police officers and PCSOs the power to disperse groups of two or more people, who are causing trouble, such as intimidating or distressing other members of the public.
This legislation also means that children below the age of 16 can be taken home, if they are not accompanied by someone responsible and over the age of 18. An individual can be arrested if he or she refuses to move from the area, or if they return to the location within 24 hours after they have been dispersed.
Sergeant Greg McGill, of the B North policing section, said: "We hope that these powers will help us to build on all the positive work that has occurred during the Hadfield Beat Sweep and we have taken this step to help improve the Hadfield Community.
"This is not a measure we introduce lightly, but we feel it is necessary to help to ensure that the majority of people can go about their business in safety and confidence.
"We will be enforcing the order and dealing positively with those who are found in breach of it.
"The order has received wide support from the local community and from councillors, shop keepers and licensees, as it has the full support from the Community Safety Partnership."
Councillor Andrew Bingham, Chairman of High Peak Community Safety Partnership, said: "We hope this Section 30 Order will reassure local residents that we are listening to their concerns and working with our partners, to tackle anti-social behaviour in the local neighbourhood.
"We do not introduce dispersal orders lightly. However, in this part of the borough, we need to reassure residents, who have been persistently disturbed by ant-social behaviour, that we are responding to their concerns.
He added: "Young people do not need to be hanging about in the streets. The Community Safety Partnership is working with the local police and other agencies to extend the provision of activities for them."
The order will start from Friday, January 9, 2009, and will run until Wednesday, July 8, 2009, by which time, officers hope to have significantly reduced reports of anti-social behaviour.
Signs outlining the areas covered by the section 30 order will be positioned in prominent locations.
This power is granted under Section 30 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 and has already been used in other parts of Derbyshire and across the country.
It allows police to move people on, if officers believe that their presence is resulting in, or likely to result in, members of the community being intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed.
The power used in this designated area also enables police officers to remove people, who are under the age of 16 years and not under the supervision of a responsible adult, after 9pm.