OPERATION REDUCES ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN FERNDOWN - Should this be started in our town ?

Police officers involved in a six week operation to reduce anti-social behaviour and underage drinking in Ferndown, say it’s been a resounding success.

Operation Tolerance was launched at the end of July by PCSO (Police Community Support Officer) Chantelle Gosney from Ferndown Central Safer Neighbourhood Team and Safe Schools and Communities Officer (SSCO) Sarah Rose.

Every Friday and Saturday night, two PCs, two specials and two PCSOs on foot targeted the problem by visiting the areas frequented by young people during the school holidays.

Where young people were found with alcohol, their parents were contacted and asked to come and collect their children.

Operation Tolerance has resulted in an eight per cent reduction in reported anti-social behaviour, when compared with the same period in 2008 (this equates from 94 calls to 86 calls).

During the six week operation, the following items of alcohol were seized from young people:

Five bottles of spirits

Four litre bottles of cider

Two bottles of alcopops

45 cans of beer

130 bottles of beer.

PCSO Gosney carried out follow-up visits to parents at their home addresses. She would explain why their children’s behaviour is not tolerated and the dangers and risks associated with underage drinking.

Parents were also given safety packs which included leaflets and material from ShADOWS (Shire Alcohol and Drug Outreach Service), YISP (Youth Inclusion and Support Panel), East Dorset District Council and contact information for their local Safer Neighbourhood Team.

Letters were also sent to all parents from the Anti-Social Behaviour Officer, Bob Bailey, from East Dorset District Council and Section Commander, Inspector Mike Darkin about their children’s behaviour. The letters also included information on where parents and young people could find support and help in their local area.

PCSO Chantelle Gosney, from Ferndown Central Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “A large leaflet-drop was undertaken in the Ferndown area prior to the operation starting, to inform the community of what we planned to do.

“The operation consisted of a high-visibility presence on Friday and Saturday evenings with the direct aim of deterring young people from causing a nuisance in night-time hotspots.

“A zero-tolerance approach to the seizure of alcohol was taken and all young persons were dealt with in a proactive way.

“We have seen a big drop in the number of young people seen in the town centre area and hanging around shops at night.

“The response from the local community has been really good – many people have reported a big difference in the levels of anti-social behaviour in the area.

“We now intend to continue Operation Tolerance in the mid-term and Christmas holidays.”

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