POLICE PURGE ON WEEKEND DISORDERLY BEHAVIOUR, NORWICH
Posted: 6th May 2008
People behaving in a drunk and disorderly manner in Norwich city centre on weekend evenings in the lead-up to the summer months are being warned that they will be put out of pocket thanks to a new police purge on night-time anti-social behaviour.
Over the next few weekends officers are set to pay special focus on the kind of behaviour which causes disruption and intimidation among the lion's share of well-behaved and responsible pub and club goers in the city centre.
The purge will be publicised with striking new Home Office posters which will be issued at pubs and clubs around the city depicting the fact that disorderly people will be throwing away their money if they engage in this kind of behaviour.
PC Mark Shepherd, of Norwich's Licensing Unit, said: "For a number of years now we have carried out a large amount of work to reduce alcohol-related disorder and violence in the city centre and we have been extremely successful.
"However, we can never be complacent and we are now looking to focus on the kinds of low-level disorder which cause intimidation and a general nuisance by putting the perpetrators out of pocket.
"Our message is clear - if you are drunk and disorderly and you cause problems you will be issued with an £80 fixed penalty notice for disorder on the spot and be warned to be on your way or be arrested."
Officers have been using fixed penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) for low-level disorder on the streets for some time now but this new focus aimed at clamping down on such incidents in the lead-up to the peak summer months is likely to increase the number of PNDs issued for offences including urinating in the street, being drunk and disorderly and section 5 public order offences.
The perpetrators of more serious offences will continue to be arrested and dealt with through the criminal justice system.
The new approach will see PNDS used in conjunction with Section 27 warnings under the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 which means that after the fine is issued a warning will be given to the individual in question to move away from the scene or locality or face arrest.