Dispersal order issued for Cannock following anti-social behaviour

A Section 34 dispersal notice will come into effect in a part of Cannock Town Centre from 3pm on Friday (7 October) until 5am on Sunday (9 October) as officers tackle recent reports of anti-social behaviour.

The order allows police to disperse people from the area (pictured below), if they are involved in instances of anti-social behaviour and means that anyone under the age of 16 can be returned to their home address.

Anybody committing an offence who refuses this order can be fined up to £2,500 and/or receive a three-month prison sentence.

It comes after the local policing team (LPT) have received reports of large groups of youths behaving aggressively, deliberately damaging buildings and distressing residents and businesses in the area. 

Inspector Chris Moss, of the Cannock LPT, said: “We are issuing this dispersal order in the interests of our local community and stopping anti-social behaviour in the area.

“Officers are continuing to work closely with partners to help tackle this and we want to assure the community that their concerns are being prioritised and actioned. 

“This behaviour has impacted on residents, visitors and business within Cannock Town Centre and we are committed to putting a stop to it.

“We are targeting offenders by implementing strategic patrol plans, increasing our visibility in high footfall areas and continuing to work closely with the public and our partners.

“We understand that young people want to socialise and meet up with their friends. The majority do so peacefully, but some individuals are engaging in anti-social behaviour and are causing the community to feel intimidated and worried.

“Officers only issue these orders when absolutely necessary. We have reasonable grounds to exercise these powers in order to alleviate community concerns and apprehend those who intend to disrupt the public and local businesses.

“We want to be clear that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated and we will continue to implement measures like this to ensure those responsible are dealt with robustly.”