A Spalding-wide dispersal order aimed at preventing anti-social behaviour during what police feared could be a busy weekend was not needed.
The order was put in place by Spalding policing inspector Jim Tyner, who was concerned that Halloween, a large fireworks event and the fact it was “payday” weekend could combine to make the town centre a hotspot for disorder.
But the weekend passed without incident, with Insp Tyner saying officers had dealings with only one person where the use of the order could have been appropriate.
He said: “However, he decided to leave of his own accord and promptly received a ticket for cycling without lights.”
The order was made under section 34 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, which came into force just a couple of weeks ago.
The new law means while the notice is in place, a police officer can require a person committing or likely to commit anti-social behaviour, crime or disorder to leave the area for up to 48 hours.
It replaces former previous dispersal powers which gave police the power to give “direction to leave” to prevent potential alcohol-related disorder.
The area last weekend’s order covered from 5pm on Friday to 5pm on Sunday was the part of the town centre within the boundary created by Pinchbeck Road, West Elloe Avenue, Commercial Road, High Street, Holland Road, Beechfield Gardens, Love Lane, Haverfield Road, St Thomas’s Road, Winsover Road, Station Street and Winfrey Avenue.
Insp Tyner said: “Last weekend several factors influenced my decision to authorise a dispersal notice.
“It was Halloween weekend, where there is traditionally an increase in anti-social behaviour, there was a firework display in St Thomas’s Road with thousands of people expected to attend and it was also the first Saturday of the month, which for many people is known as pay day weekend when the police often experience an increase in alcohol related disorder.
“The area covered was roughly the same as the area covered by the Designated Public Places Order (DPPO), an idea identified as being at risk of anti-social behaviour.
“I would not want people to think we are being heavy-handed. I put the dispersal notice in place to give my officers the flexibility to use the new powers if appropriate. The reality is that the powers were not used during the weekend.”
