Anti-social behaviour (ASB) can ruin lives and tackling
it is a priority for Dorset Police.
In this section, you can find out more about
ASB, how to report
it, and what the police and local partners can do to tackle it.
What is anti-social behaviour?
>
How to report anti-social behaviour
>
What to
expect >
What you
can do >
What the police can do
>
What other agencies can
do >
What is anti-social
behaviour?
ASB can leave you feeling
intimidated, angry and frightened and includes things such as:
Rowdy,
noisy behaviour in otherwise quiet neighbourhoods- Night time noise from houses or gardens,
especially between 11.00 pm and 7.00 am
- Threatening, drunken or 'yobbish'
behaviour
- Vandalism, graffiti and fly-posting
- Dealing or buying drugs on the street
- Litter and fly-tipping rubbish
- Aggressive begging
- Drinking in the street
- Setting off fireworks late at night
- Abandoning cars on the street
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How to report anti-social
behaviour:
Don’t turn a blind eye to anti-social
behaviour. If you see it, report it.
You can report anti-social behaviour by
calling Dorset Police on 101. In an emergency, where life is at
risk or a crime is being committed, always dial 999.
If we are not able to deal with your complaint
directly ourselves, we will give you advice on which local agency
can help and how to contact them. We work very closely with our
partners to deal with anti-social behaviour, including all local
authorities.
No matter how you report anti-social
behaviour, all complaints are treated as confidential. So you don’t
have to worry about your identity being revealed.
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What to expect:
We understand that anti-social behaviour has a
considerable impact on people’s lives. When you report
ASB to Dorset
Police we will:
- Take your complaint seriously
- Investigate your case with the same level of professionalism
with which we investigate crime
- Treat you with respect, compassion and empathy
- Offer crime prevention advice or other practical help
- Explain what will happen next
- Provide regular updates about progress on your case
For more information about what to expect from
Dorset Police when you report a crime or incident, visit our victim
of crime page.
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What you can do:
If anti-social behaviour is a problem in your
area, there’s a lot you can do to help put a stop to it. You
can:
- Talk to your neighbours to find out if they're affected as
well
- If you feel comfortable doing so talk to the person causing the
problem; they may not realise how it is affecting you
- Tell your landlord or residents’ association about the
situation
- Contact your Safer Neighbourhood
Team
Another really important thing you can do to
help tackle ASB is
to record when and where the problems are happening, including:
- Dates and times of incidents
- As much information as possible about what has happened
- Names and descriptions of those involved if known
- Details of any witnesses
- How the incident has affected you
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What the police can
do:
The police and other local agencies have a
variety of different powers available to tackle anti-social
behaviour. Many cases of anti-social behaviour can be resolved
without the need for legal action. The most common methods are
usually a warning letter and an interview with the perpetrator.
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Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC)
If there is evidence that someone is causing
problems for the community, the police and the local authority can
ask the person to sign an Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC). An
ABC is a
voluntary written agreement, meaning it is not recorded on a
criminal record. It lists a number of things that someone agrees
not to do anymore.
ABCs can be given to
anyone, regardless of how old they are. They are signed by the
perpetrator and the police or the local authority. If the contract
involves someone under 18, their parent or guardian will also sign
it.
ABCs usually last for
six months and the person will be monitored by the organisation who
also signed the contract to ensure the agreement is not broken.
If someone does break their agreement, other
measures can be taken, including applying for an anti-social
behaviour orders (ASBOs).
Police can issue one-off fines (penalty
notices) to people behaving in an anti-social manner. Fixed penalty
notices (FPNs) are generally used to deal with environmental
offences such as litter, graffiti noise and dog fouling. For
children under 16 years old, this results in on-the-spot fines of
£50. For those 16 and over it results in an £80 fine.
Penalty Notices for Disorder (PNDs) are issued
for more serious offences, such as throwing fireworks, being drunk
and disorderly, petty stealing or damaging property. They can be
issued to anyone over 16 years old. Penalty notices are not the
same as criminal convictions, but failure to pay the fine can
result in higher fines or imprisonment. By using penalty notices,
police can spend more time out in their community.
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ASBO (anti-social behaviour order)
An ASBO can be given to anyone
over the age of ten. ASBOs are court orders that
can stop an offender going to a certain area or doing certain
things. There are a number of organisations that can apply for one,
including the police, local authorities, registered social
landlords and the British Transport Police.
ASBOs last for at least two
years and are reviewed on a regular basis. This means if someone’s
behaviour shows improvement then certain conditions of the
ASBO may be
removed or changed.
A person with an ASBO does not get a
criminal record unless a court finds them guilty of breaking the
order. Breaking the terms of an ASBO is a criminal offence
and the person can be arrested. If a court finds the person guilty
of breaking the terms of their ASBO, the person can be
fined, given a community sentence or sent to prison for up to five
years.
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A designated public places order (DPPO)
A DPPO or Drinking Banning
Order can be applied to a specific location if there are persistent
ASB problems caused by people drinking in public. This gives the
police powers to confiscate alcohol from those over 18, if it is
suspected that the consumption of alcohol is causing or may lead to
ASB. Refusal to
comply can lead to arrest and/or a fine of up to £500.
DPPOs cannot be used for
problems caused by under 18s drinking in public. The police already
have powers to confiscate alcohol from underage drinkers.
If an area is identified as having a
particularly persistent problem with anti-social behaviour then the
police can grant a Dispersal Order. This gives police officers and
PCSOs
the power to direct groups or individuals to leave the area and not
return for up to 24 hours. Refusal to leave a dispersal area is an
offence and that person can be arrested. This power is aimed at
preventing anti-social behaviour, not at disrupting the lives of
the law-abiding community; therefore it is unlikely that you will
be affected if the police feel you are unlikely to cause
trouble.
Police can shut down licensed premises causing
a noise nuisance or rowdy behaviour or houses where people deal in
and take class A drugs. Closures can last for up to six months.
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Criminal anti-social behaviour order (CrASBO)
A CrASBO can be
given by the courts to someone who has been convicted of a criminal
offence. The CrASBO is made in
addition to a sentence or a conditional discharge. Like an
ASBO, a
CrASBO imposes
certain conditions on the person, for example stopping them from
going to certain areas. Breaching a CrASBO is a
criminal offence
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What other agencies can
do:
Dorset Police works closely in partnership
with other agencies and with you, our communities, to tackle
anti-social behaviour and the causes of anti-social behaviour.
Local authorities
Local councils have powers to deal with:
- Abandoned vehicles
- Graffiti and fly-posting
- Damage to public property (street lights, road signs etc)
- Rubbish and fly-tipping
- Noise, including loud music, noisy neighbours, parties, alarms,
animals and noise from pubs and clubs
Local authorities also have the same power as
the police to apply to the courts for anti-social behaviour orders
(ASBOs)
Please follow this link to find out
more about how local authorities tackle ASB in Dorset. You can also find
out more by using the following links to visit your local council
website:
Borough
of Poole >
Bournemouth Borough Council >
Dorset County
Council >
Landlords and Housing
Associations
If the anti-social behaviour problem involves
the tenant or a property of registered social landlord or a housing
association, the landlord can take action against the person
committing the anti-social behaviour. They can work with the police
and the local authority to ensure appropriate action is taken to
solve the problem.
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