POLICING teams whose boundaries cross near Barnsley town centre are working together to reduce anti-social behaviour concerns near McDonald’s after an increase in incidents.
Having implemented a public space protection order (PSPO) in the town centre which effectively bans a person from being within close proximity to a location a plan to extend its footprint has so far failed to come to fruition.
According to police, those causing problems in the town centre and moved on have turned their attention to McDonald’s and Asda as they are not covered by the PSPO zone.
But Inspector Andy Norton, who is in charge of Barnsley’s six policing hubs, told the Chronicle bordering teams are sharing information and revealed the perpetrators are the same as the ones responsible for issues in the town centre.
“For a PSPO to be implemented or reviewed it has to be evidence-based and although we are aware that there’s a problem near McDonald’s and Asda, there remains no PSPO in place,” he told the Chronicle.
“Instead there’s what is known as a ‘POP’ (problem oriented policing) plan which covers Old Mill Lane, where the invisible boundary line is, but the two teams are working together so that isn’t a problem.
“Work is being done at each location including Old Mill Lane and the interchange, which remains under the PSPO.
“There’s a joint plan in place as both teams know who have been responsible for causing antisocial behaviour as it’s the same group as before, so we’ve put an offender-targeted approach in place which focuses on the individuals we have identified.
“The people found engaging in antisocial behaviour will be put before the courts if they breach any orders they have had placed on them.”
According to Asda employees and those living on nearby Canal Street, gangs of up to 40 youngsters have been terrorising the area for months, which led police to name the problem as its localised priority.
Incidents including urinating and defecating in the street, intimidating and verbally abusing staff, open drug dealing and taking and aggressive behaviour including shouting, swearing and fighting were reasons why the PSPO first came into force in Barnsley in 2016.
On average, there are now 56 incidents a month in the town centre area still more than two a day but down from 122 incidents at its peak at the end of 2016 according to latest figures.
Issues in the Old Mill Lane area have increased, however, but Insp Norton said he’s confident the joint plan will prove to be a success.
“We still have civil powers at our disposal but a lot of progress, despite more being needed, has been made,” he added.
