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Anti-social behaviour targeted in Beeston
A scheme which aims to cut antisocial behaviour by targeting young people drinking underage and roaming the streets late at night will be staged in Beeston.
The project, run by the police, the Council's Youth Offending and Youth services, and Children's Social Care Services, is similar to one run for two weeks in Morley which cut the number of reports of problem behaviour.
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'Staysafe' will see police, police community support officers and Youth Services officers mount high-visibility patrols of "hot-spot" problem areas.
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They will be looking for young people at "risk of significant harm" such as those drinking openly underage, mixing with others causing problems or thought to be too young to be out on the streets late at night.
Any they find will be taken to a designated "place of safety".
There, they will be given advice by police and youth workers while their parents or guardians are contacted and asked to collect their children and take-up offers of help with various Council services.
The initiative is supported by Safer Leeds, the city's Crime and
Disorder Reduction Partnership.
As part of the project representatives from numerous local agencies will also be working alongside parents and guardians to improve care and supervision for children and young people.
Where crimes or serious antisocial behaviour occur, information and evidence will be gathered with a view to criminal prosecutions, the obtaining of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) or issuing of Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs).
The aim of Staysafe is to cut the incidents of antisocial behaviour and youth crime in hotspot areas throughout the Beeston area.
It is hoped Beeston's 'Staysafe' scheme will enjoy similar succcess to that achieved by the one in Morley.
Insp Damien Miller of Holbeck Neighbourhood Policing Team said: "We've already run operations and initiatives to cut antisocial behaviour in Beeston after it was highlighted as one of our policing priorities by local residents, and hopefully 'Staysafe' will have an even bigger impact.
"Just moving young people away from hotspot areas and back to their parents, or taking their alcohol off them isn't always the answer.
"By linking up all partners we can try to make a real difference in Beeston."
Insp Miller added: "The vast majority of people in Beeston will probably not come into contact with the 'Staysafe' scheme because it is not aimed at children and families who are not involved in antisocial behaviour.
"But those who are involved in antisocial behaviour can expect to be contacted by one of the partners involved because we're taking action to put a stop to this kind of behaviour."
Coun David Congreve (Lab, Beeston and Holbeck) said: "I work closely with the Neighbourhood Policing Team and they do a very good job. There is a problem with a certain element of young people around various areas of Beeston, including the Cardinals and Park Wood estates.
"We are not only trying to have some impact on these young teenagers who are under drinking age and help the community, but we hope to impact on the parents who should take some responsibility for their children.
"They should know where their youngsters are. We are not talking the early evenings, but quite late at night."
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 18 May 2012
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Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 12 C
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