Police prepare for crackdown on anti-social behaviour in town centre

10:30am Monday 6th July 2009

By Harry Hogger

POLICE have been given new powers to move on troublemakers in Dorchester town centre.

Traders in the county town have welcomed the news that, from tomorrow, a new dispersal order will be in place allowing officers to tackle groups involved in anti-social behaviour.

The new order, which gives police powers under Section 30 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, comes as a result of concerns raised by local residents.

Dorchester and Sherborne section commander Inspector Les Fry said: “It will give all those officers working in Dorchester a power to resolve issues and move on people who, in the past, we have been unable to deal with.

“We have been increasingly concerned about the behaviour of a few people, who are causing those living and working in the town considerable harassment, alarm and distress, and this is unacceptable.”

The order will last for six months and will enable uniformed police officers or police community support officers to order groups of two or more to disperse if their presence is causing, or likely to cause, any members of the public to feel harassed, alarmed or distressed.

Once given a direction to disperse, the subjects must leave the designated area for 24 hours and if they refuse to comply face arrest and conviction.

Insp Fry stressed that the new powers would only be used to tackle troublemakers and officers would only enforce the order when they deemed necessary.

He said: “What we do not want to do is prevent those genuine people who are out enjoying themselves and having a good time. This order is all about dealing with the behaviour that any normal and sober person would find unacceptable.”

President of the Dorchester and District Alistair Chisholm said groups of rough sleepers and other people gathering were putting some people off coming into the town and he welcomed the news that police had new powers to tackle this issue.

He said: “A lot of the groups don’t always realise how intimidating they can appear to people.

“They are not the most conventional of people and some people are frightened of their dogs.

“When you get one or two it’s fine but when you have half a dozen or more some people are frightened.

“It doesn’t really matter whether they are actually doing very much wrong, some people perceive it as unsafe to go about their business and businesses then lose out.”

Mr Chisholm said Dorchester’s trade, like most market towns, relied heavily on older customers and these people were sometimes more easily intimidated by large groups.