Christmas clampdown by Barnstaple police
POLICE will use special temporary powers to clear troublemakers from Barnstaple town centre over Christmas.
The force has been granted a Section 30 dispersal order, giving its uniformed officers the right to tell any groups of two or more people to leave an area in the town for up to 24 hours. If anyone ignores a police order, they can be arrested.
PC Tim Quick said the order, which has been agreed by North Devon Council's joint interim chief executive Steve Pitcher and Superintendent Stuart Lander, was being put in place from next Thursday because a small number of people tended to cause trouble during the festive season.
He said: "It's about preventing anti-social behaviour by groups in and around the town centre. It's a message to come and enjoy yourselves, but there is always a tiny minority who try to muck things up.
"Barnstaple town centre has issues with anti-social behaviour at Christmas."
The police already have powers to move on people aged over 16 suspected of being involved in alcohol-related bad behaviour. But this order applies to children and people who have not been drinking .
PC Quick said it was the first time a dispersal order had been sought for the Christmas season, but a Section 30 was granted for the period of the town fair earlier this year. He hoped the measure would largely act as a deterrent. "Mostly, it's about prevention," he added.
The order will run from Thursday, December 11, to Monday, January 5.
A force spokesman said the order is part of a package of measures which include extra officers on high visibility patrols and specific operations to deal with events such as the New Year's Eve celebrations.
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by emily, bideford
Sunday, December 07 2008, 11:47AM
“I think that they are doing a drink and drive test early in the mornings!”
by David Lake,, Drifting.
Friday, December 05 2008, 4:38PM
“I am not so sure that a fair description of the new powers is paranoid. After all - you do not ask for powers if they are never intended to be used. Bit like tazers and guns, really.
As the NDJ describes the powers, it seems that ANY two people can be told to leave any public place for ANY reason (or none). I wonder why extra new powers, rather than just the unusual social order, public nuisance and drunkenness/disorderly laws, are needed - those've been OK so far, so I believe? I have to admit that I am very cautious about agreeing that it should be an arrestable offense simply for refusing to leave a public place, when told to by a police officer, while going about your lawful business.
Stop-and-search without justification also makes me feel uncomfortable: surely the police should need reasonable suspician? Otherwise the risk is that police action will seem simply intimidatory, when it wasn't intended that way by the officers concerned.
It would also seem that just occasionally the police get it wrong: and are then very reluctant to back down when they do so.
All-in-all, I am concerned that the police have more than enough powers, and should spend their time being sure always to use their current powers appropriately, rather than asking the Council for what is, in effect, the right to arrest without the need to provide justification to Magistrates or Judiciary.”
by David Lake,, Drifting.
Friday, December 05 2008, 4:38PM
“I am not so sure that a fair description of the new powers is paranoid. After all - you do not ask for powers if they are never intended to be used. Bit like tazers and guns, really.
As the NDJ describes the powers, it seems that ANY two people can be told to leave any public place for ANY reason (or none). I wonder why extra new powers, rather than just the unusual social order, public nuisance and drunkenness/disorderly laws, are needed - those've been OK so far, so I believe? I have to admit that I am very cautious about agreeing that it should be an arrestable offense simply for refusing to leave a public place, when told to by a police officer, while going about your lawful business.
Stop-and-search without justification also makes me feel uncomfortable: surely the police should need reasonable suspician? Otherwise the risk is that police action will seem simply intimidatory, when it wasn't intended that way by the officers concerned.
It would also seem that just occasionally the police get it wrong: and are then very reluctant to back down when they do so.
All-in-all, I am concerned that the police have more than enough powers, and should spend their time being sure always to use their current powers appropriately, rather than asking the Council for what is, in effect, the right to arrest without the need to provide justification to Magistrates or Judiciary.”
by David Lake,, Drifting.
Friday, December 05 2008, 4:34PM
“I am not so sure that a fair description of the new powers is paranoid. After all - you do not ask for powers if they are never intended to be used. Bit like tazers and guns, really.
As the NDJ describes the powers, it seems that ANY two people can be told to leave any public place for ANY reason (or none). I wonder why extra new powers, rather than just the unusual social order, public nuisance and drunkenness/disorderly laws, are needed - those've been OK so far, so I believe? I have to admit that I am very cautious about agreeing that it should be an arrestable offense simply for refusing to leave a public place, when told to by a police officer, while going about your lawful business.
Stop-and-search without justification also makes me feel uncomfortable: surely the police should need reasonable suspician? Otherwise the risk is that police action will seem simply intimidatory, when it wasn't intended that way by the officers concerned.
It would also seem that just occasionally the police get it wrong: and are then very reluctant to back down when they do so.
All-in-all, I am concerned that the police have more than enough powers, and should spend their time being sure always to use their current powers appropriately, rather than asking the Council for what is, in effect, the right to arrest without the need to provide justification to Magistrates or Judiciary.”
by Chomsky, Barnstaple
Wednesday, December 03 2008, 3:22PM
“These paranoid ramblings are making me feel like a Daily Mail reader, sticking up for Big Brother for the first time in my life.
Surely this is all in the execution of these orders? If the police use them without good reason then we'll be bound to hear about it from those who suffer, and then questions can be asked.
But presumably they're going to use the order to get rid of groups of drunks, thugs and the like if it's getting too heated.
I can't imagine they're going to be moving on families out for a spot of lunch, or even mild mannered groups of chaps who've had a few and are on a pub crawl.
It's surely only going to be for troublemakers.
And as for the 'my grandparents fought in the war' stuff, well really it is time to get over it. All of our forebears played their parts in the history of our country. It really doesn't validate your viewpoint”