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Intimidating kids hanging around
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Ooperlooper


Posts: 104
Joined: Jun 2006
Post: #21
12-06-2008 09:10 PM

Police can only disperse people in a designated 'dispersal zone'. There's the following explanation on: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/YoungPeople/...G_10027673

Dispersal notices
Another way that anti social behaviour is being tackled is by using dispersal orders. A chief police officer can put restrictions on certain areas that have been identified as areas where anti social behaviour is particularly high.

Once an area becomes a dispersal zone, the police and community safety officers have the power to order groups of people to leave an area after a certain time if they suspect that anti-social behaviour has or may happen, and can exclude people from the area for up to 24 hours. An officer can also ask anyone under 16 to go home after 9pm but can not force them to do so, but a refusal is an offence.


Lewisham town centre has been a dispersal zone: http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/PolicingAndPu...People.htm

But before we all rush off to ask for and SE23-wide dispersal zone, I've also found an interesting (and brief) document citing research on the limited successes of dispersal zones: https://www.policypress.org.uk/images/up..._0_175.pdf

As it says on the Directgov website, your local authority should also tackle anti-social behaviour. Lewisham's page on the topic is: http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/PolicingAndPu...Behaviour/

They say they are pioneers of a 'street warden' scheme, so why not see if you can take them up on it?

Also the Met Police's Safer Neighbourhood Teams are there to help resolve such issues:
http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/PolicingAndPu...bourhoods/

Every one of Lewisham?s 18 wards has had a safer neighbourhood team since April 2006...Their aim is to listen and talk to you, and find out what affects your daily life and feelings of security.

These might be issues such as anti-social behaviour, graffiti, noisy neighbourhoods, yobs or vandalism. Then, they work in partnership with you and other agencies to find a lasting solution.


They must be worth a try.

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reverendlionelblair


Posts: 47
Joined: Apr 2008
Post: #22
19-06-2008 09:05 PM

You could always call up Bojo personally and get him to sort them out, five minutes of his waffling nonsense and they'd soon run for the hills.

Are any of these kids actually doing anything wrong other thank talking and messing about? What possible justification is there for calling the police? What is the point of this 101 thing other than acting as a moan line for people?

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billham


Posts: 115
Joined: Nov 2007
Post: #23
19-06-2008 09:51 PM

Ok Reverend we will send them around to stand outside your house since it would obviously not be an issue for you!!

I think your reply shows a total lack of understanding of what this problem might do to some people. A group six or eight youths may have absolutely no malicious intent but trust me it is still intimidating and stressful when they are foregathered outside your property.

And if it is intimidating for me as a 6ft heavily built guy, imagine what it is like for a single woman?

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brian


Posts: 2,002
Joined: Apr 2005
Post: #24
20-06-2008 07:02 AM

This is indeed a difficult problem.
Kids need to hang around it is what they do , although would be better if a few more played footy in the park.
However I can fully understand how annoying it is to have half a dozen outside your front window however quiet they are.
Not at all certain what the solution is , although some of the parents should take more responsibility in what their heirs are doing.

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reverendlionelblair


Posts: 47
Joined: Apr 2008
Post: #25
21-06-2008 11:50 AM

We get them outside our house as well, point being they may be a bit intimidating, but then drunken people outside the Bird in Hand smoking are fairly intimidating, I wouldnt call the police on them unless one of them actually did something and I wouldn't call the police on the kids unless one of them actually did something.

Guilty until proven innocent? Its not fair that we instantly assume that the kids are up to no good simply based on the fact that they are adolescents hanging around in a group.

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nevermodern


Posts: 653
Joined: Feb 2007
Post: #26
21-06-2008 04:46 PM

That's not really the point, though. The Bird in Hand is on the high street in a non-residential commercial area.

No-one should have to put up with a huge bunch of people hanging around outside their house in a residential area. It's not about 'crime', or a supposition of a criminal intent, and the initial poster made that clear. It's about being able to live in peace without a large group of people being constantly camped outside your front window.

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brian


Posts: 2,002
Joined: Apr 2005
Post: #27
21-06-2008 04:57 PM

I agree.
It is not nice having a number of kids outside your front window even if they are up to no harm.
I suggest The Reverend invites them to his church.
As mentioned before this is not easy to solve. Both sides have a point , but not right to dismiss the fears of those who are suffering this problem first hand.

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billham


Posts: 115
Joined: Nov 2007
Post: #28
21-06-2008 07:20 PM

I accept that the situation in a public area is more complex, and I imagine it would be very hard to get the police to act unless some substantial disturbance was being caused.

However, I live in a flat on private property. If people are there without due reason, and perticularly if they are gathered in the stairwell outside my flat smoking pot and drinking, then I think it is entirely reasonable to call the police. I wonder what the reverend would do if they were gathered in his garden - sing hymns??

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