NEW ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR UNIT LAUNCHED
TELEPHONE: 0151 443 2000
A crackdown on anti social behaviour will mark the launch of Knowsley’s new weapon on crime and disorder.
The council’s new Anti Social Behaviour Unit was launched on June 12th 2007, making it easier to report crime and harder for the perpetrators to get away with their actions.
The unit is designed to help all Knowsley agencies tackle the nuisance behaviour that blights people’s lives, responding more quickly and dealing with issues before they become big problems.
As a designated Respect area, cracking down on anti social behaviour is a top priority for Knowsley and Louise Casey, the Government’s co-ordinator for the Respect agenda, will be on hand to talk about the good work that will make a real difference in the borough.
The new Anti Social Behaviour Unit will give local people a dedicated telephone number on which they can report all incidents, in confidence if they wish, to a fully trained officer. The anti social behaviour unit will then work in partnership with local agencies, neighbourhood wardens, police community support officers and the police in order to find solutions.
Cllr Jackie Harris, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Social Inclusion said: “Our aim is to ensure communities are aware of al the different tools and powers that can be used to resolve issues of anti-social behaviour and to increase community confidence.
“Officers will also work closely with witnesses to obtain information which could lead to those responsible receiving an Anti Social Behaviour order or other sanctions.
“Many people do not realise that even if victims wish to remain anonymous, they can still give evidence which can be used in court.”
The Respect initiative in Knowsley means that parenting officers will also now be working with families where there are problems with anti social behaviour to try and tackle problems before they get out of control or leave the families in danger of being evicted.
Louise Casey, the Government Coordinator for Respect, said: “I am very pleased to be visiting Knowsley to participate in the launch of the new Anti-Social Behaviour Unit which will offer a dedicated victim-centred service to local people in tackling and reporting any anti-social behaviour. The new Unit forms an essential part of Knowsley's wider commitment to driving forward the Respect programme and creating a safer environment for people to live in. The new team will take action and will send out a very clear message to perpetrators in Knowsley that anti-social behaviour will not and should not be tolerated."
Anyone wishing to report anti social behaviour in Knowsley can call the dedicated hotline on 0151 443 2000.
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Anti-social behaviour destroys lives and shatters communities. It is a widespread problem but its effects are often most damaging in communities that are already fragile.
If left unchecked it can lead to neighbourhood decline with people moving away and tenants abandoning housing. It can seriously damage the quality of life of vulnerable people through the fear of crime and the long- term effects of victimisation.
It also incurs costs to a wide range of people including individuals and families, schools, local authorities, social landlords and business.
The Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership wants to tackle local, previously intractable anti-social behaviour problems, where joint working makes a real difference. The focus will be on achieving sustainable reductions in anti-social behaviour and development at the neighbourhood or community level.
LATEST ASBO'S
Prohibitions are as follows:
ASBO 1 is prohibited, within the Borough of Knowsley from:
(1) Acting in a manner causing or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person;
(2) Entering or being in Abberley Road except in the company of their mother or entering or being in Sherbourne Avenue, Halewood as indicated on the ASBO map
(3) Throwing stones or any other item at any person in any place without that persons consent;
(4) Throwing stones or any other item at any property belonging to third person without the consent of the owner;
(5) Having in their possession, custody or control matches, a lighter or any other item capable of starting a fire;
(6) Entering the boundary of any property belonging to another without the consent of the occupier
ASBO 2 is prohibited, within the Borough of Knowsley from:
(1) Acting in a manner causing or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person;
(2) Inciting, encouraging or instructing person or persons to act in a manner likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person;
(3) Entering or being in the area prescribed in the ASBO map except when in the company of their mother and attending a pre-arranged appointment at their doctor’s;
(4) Having in their possession in any public place or place to which the public have access without payment, a BB gun, paintgun, cap gun or any imitation firearm;
(5) Approaching or communicating directly or indirectly with named witnesses and/or encouraging or instructing any other person to do the same.
ASBO 3 is prohibited, within the Borough of Knowsley from:
(1) Acting in a manner causing or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person;
(2) Inciting, encouraging or instructing person or persons to act in a manner likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person;
(3) Threatening to cause, attempting to cause or causing damage to premises or property;
(4) Driving or being a passenger on any motor bike, mini-moto, moped, quad bike or similar motorised vehicle in the area indicated on the ASBO map;
(5) Approaching or communicating directly or indirectly with named witnesses and/or encouraging or instructing any other person to do the same.
ASBO 4 is prohibited, within the Borough of Knowsley from:
(1) Acting in a manner causing or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person;
(2) Inciting, encouraging or instructing person or persons to act in a manner likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person;
(3) Driving or being a passenger on any motor bike, mini-moto, moped, quad bike or similar motorised vehicle in the area indicated on the ASBO map
(4) Having in their custody or control any bladed article in any public place;
(5) Having in their custody or control lighter fluid, containers of petrol, matches and/or a lighter, except that they may have in his possession a single disposable lighter to be used for the sole purpose of lighting cigarettes;
(6) Approaching or communicating directly or indirectly with named witnesses and/or encouraging or instructing any other person to do the same.
Approach in Knowsley
We want to prevent and deter people from becoming involved in crime and disorder in the first place. In relation to young people we want to intervene at the earliest possible moment to deter and redirect them once it has become clear there is a problem.
We work together through our JAG (Joint Agency Group) process to catch, convict or take other enforcement action against those individuals who are persistently behaving in an anti-social manner.
The provision of high quality and accessible rehabilitative services is vital to supporting young people and adults to move on from offending.
Community reassurance and reducing the fear of crime is a key element to our approach. The development and expansion of Neighbourhood Wardens and Police Community Support officers have been fundamental to our strategy.
The active involvement of local people as partners is also key, whether that be reporting incidents of antisocial behaviour, providing community intelligence directly or via one of our hotlines, community clean up’s to maintain the quality of the environment or by becoming directly involved in mentoring some of our young people who are involved in anti-social behaviour and crime.