From the Spondon Safer Neighbourhood Team: "For a few months now Spondon Safer neighbourhood team(SNT) have received numerous calls for service to the shopping precinct Chapelside, Chapel street.
These calls have mainly related to Anti Social Behaviour(ASB) which has consisted of large groups gathering in the area sometimes over 40 at one time, under-age drinking and some drug use. This type of activity does happen mainly on a Friday and Saturday but has also been reported on various days throughout the week.
This area is a local police priority and because of this Spondon SNT have put a lot of resources into the area to try and tackle this.
To tackle this your local police team have done the following:
Groups of youths spoken to after a report of ASB have had details taken and either letters sent home to parents or Anti Social Behaviour referrals sent in to the local Anti Social Behaviour Team. This can lead to Acceptable Behaviour Contracts, which gives the young person conditions such as not to congregate on the precinct. If the person is a council home tenant, Derby Homes can be informed and people can lose their homes if their child is caught causing ASB over a period of time.
Police have also spoken with all off licences along side the Derbyshire Police licensing officer and action has been taken if shops are not adhering to licensing conditions.
Alcohol intervention projects have seen plain clothed officers patrolling on a Friday and Saturday alongside Sporting futures, Youth workers, ASB Officers and Breakout, an organisation set up to offer advice to young people in relation to alcohol and drug abuse,
We have also set up a local Ozbox sessions each Wednesday which is free to use. This is a boxercise event which builds up fitness mixed in with boxing. This takes place each Wednesday at the Village Hall Sitwell Street between 5:15pm-6:15pm.
We have also installed a mosquito on the precinct which will be moved further down near the funeral parlour. When police have attend, this tends to be the place youths gather so it was decided this was a good place to try. A anti-sit bar has also been installed so youths can not longer sit at the front of the funeral parlour.
A CCTV Camera has also been applied for so watch this space.
Police are also now gathering evidence for a section 30 dispersal order for the Spondon area. This gives the police the power to disperse groups of 2 or more causing or considered to be causing anti social behaviour. If the person does not live in Spondon they can be ordered to leave Spondon for a set time and not to return. If they choose to return then they can be arrested. If a person is under 16, police have the power to remove them to their home address. Spondon has had a section 30 dispersal order around 3 years ago and proved very successful, but these orders only last 6 months then police must re-apply.
Police understand that the large groups of youths gathering can be very intimidating and can frighten people. Generally the young people police come across are polite and move out of the area when told to do so.
Police would encourage anyone who feels they need to call police because they have come across and large group causing ASB to call 101."
