I think it is quite right to mention some of the issues regarding the tackling of anti-social matters now in this reply.
Several people during last year kept mentioning that the reason they no longer call the police is that the police conclude that things like street drinking, for instance, is not deemed as anti-social. Now, for many people, what they see is deemed as anti-social.
Imagine this scenario, for instance. A local middle-aged woman passes a group of say two to four young men drinking alcohol along the riverside. They are crowded round a bench, beers on the floor and some of them are stood away from the bench.
This lady sees this and slows up, she feels nervous and intimidated as she tries to pass. As she passes, they are loud, smell strongly of alcohol and the area around them is littered with cans and bottles as well as cigarette packets.
Of course, this is just one scenario , yet gives you an idea as to why so many feel fed up with the fact that the police do not see street drinking as anti-social, whereas many locals are stating the opposite.
Regarding calling the police, I think the issue, again, lies with the police stance on the matter. Their interpretation is a million miles away from that of many locals.
So when, say, this middle-aged woman in the above scenario rings the police to report what she deems as anti-social and intimidating, the police dismiss it, as it is not anti-social to them. it’s just a few guys drinking from cans and bottles around a bench.
If only the police could accept that all street drinking is anti-social then I think more calls would be made to report issues.
It has been suggested on many forums that we need clarification from the general public on what they deem as anti-social, and for the laws to then protect them, which they should.
Under the current PSPO, it seems that the powers are not very different from the previous DPPO. In fact, fines could have been used under the DPPO, but I suspect that they never were.
Given the fact we have many people repeat street drinking – the same old faces, as some state – why are these not fined, rather than moved on?
Pouring away one’s drink does not stop them street drinking for that day, it moves them to another area, which then results in more anti-social issues.
Maybe time has come, as many have suggested, for a full ban which, when policed, will see improved results and a lot less littering, which is also a huge part of the street drinking issue.
Finally, again, as many have already noticed, we have these new signs up around town for this new PSPO. Now, on closer inspection, they are indeed written in English only. Why is this, Mr Chandler?
Surely, when the majority of the offenders are non-English, this sign, and its language should reflect that?
