CALLINGTON’S policing team say they have confiscated alcohol from people “causing problems” in the town centre – and they have clarified what the law states on the matter of drinking in public spaces.
It follows reports of anti-social behaviour and drinking at the bus stop in New Road.
Response officers recently attended after it was alleged a fight had taken place.
One local female delivery driver said she “hated delivering at night as she felt scared people would try to get in her van”.
After police community support officers (PCSOs) posted about the event on social media, former mayor of Callington Jeremy Gist described how a previous officer some years ago would “seize alcohol from people and tip it down the drain in front of them”.
PC Jess Floyd and PCSO Jo Addems explained that the law has now changed.
Up until 2012, the Designated Public Places Order prohibited any open alcohol containers within the given area. The Public Spaces Protection Order which replaced this came with different powers of enforcement, they said.
“This order does not apply a blanket ban on alcohol consumption. It applies to those that are causing a problem or being antisocial as a result of their alcohol use. If they refuse to hand over alcohol or stop drinking when requested, this will then result in a breach of the order.
“Furthermore, for us to be able to take action on those causing an issue, we need to receive the reports at the time of the incident, rather than afterwards,” the policing team continued. “The powers under the Public Spaces Protetio Order have been used recently to confiscate alcohol. We would like to remind people that the bus stop is purely for the use of people waiting for a bus and it is not acceptable that people are put in fear, or unable to use this facility because of a small minority who think it is acceptable to be intimidating or anti social.
“Continued behaviour could result in the anti-social behaviour escalation process being utilised or criminal offences being recorded and dealt with robustly.”