Dispersal order

A Dispersal Order enables the police and local authorities to work together to identify problem areas where people feel threatened by groups loitering, causing intimidation and acting in an anti-social manner.
Where there is a persistent problem with such groups, a police officer above the rank of superintendent can designate an area a 'Dispersal Areas' for up to six months with the local authority agreement. This area could be as small as a cash-point or as wide as a whole local authority, as long as there is evidence of anti-social behaviour. In Henbury the area covered by these powers is Crow Lane and the surrounding area bordered by Station Road, Tormarton Crescent, Passage Road, Ellsworth Road and Clavell Road .

Within designated areas, the Police officers have the power to direct groups to disperse where a relevant officer in uniform "has reasonable grounds for believing that the presence or behaviour of a group of two or more persons in any public place has resulted or is likely to result in any member of the public being intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed".
Individuals can be directed to leave the locality and may be excluded from the area for up to 24 hours. Any person that contravenes a direction to disperse commits an offence for which there is a power of arrest.
A Dispersal Order is a tool the police will use to disperse persons away from an area where there are problems, however this does not guarantee we are going to get any extra resources in Henbury.