THERE are more bobbies on the beat in Stratford this summer in a bid to clamp down on anti-social behaviour from visitors to the town.
Warwickshire Police said there had been an increase in the number of instances of antisocial behaviour in Stratford and they had started to notice a pattern.
While the majority of tourists behave well, there were some groups who have been identified as being linked to incidents of ASB in the town centre, particularly around weekends and school holidays.
This has included alcohol-related issues, intimidation, and disruption for residents and other visitors.
Officers have now teamed up with partners including Stratford District Council, Stratford BID, British Transport Police, West Midlands Railway, Chiltern Railways, and local Safer Neighbourhood Teams to launch Operation Pendine. This will allow Warwickshire Police to identify potential problem groups travelling into Stratford before they arrive and engage with them as soon as possible.
More often than not, say Warwickshire Police, a quick friendly chat is more than enough to prevent any further problems and to let people know officers are around.
And where necessary, in partnership with SDC, police will make use of additional powers to help prevent antisocial behaviour in the town. This includes Public Space Protection Orders, dispersal orders, and civil enforcement measures.
A Warwickshire Police spokesperson added: “If you notice a few more officers around the train station or in the town centre this weekend, there’s nothing to worry about – we’re here to make sure that everyone can enjoy and work in the town together safely.”
