Rural yob hotspots revealed to DPP

ANTI SOCIAL behaviour (ASB) is a local policing priority in every single village in the borough, especially at weekends, a public meeting of Ballymena District Policing Partnership has been told by the area’s police chief.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Aug 2011, 12:58 BST

Speaking out on the issue at last Thursday’s forum in Ahoghill, Temp. Chief Inspector Sean Fitzpatrick said that “areas of concern” were subject to regular patrolling by both regular and part-time officers and he revealed the most recent rural ASB hotspots to be - Main Street and Ferniskey Road (Kells), Tullymore Road/The Commons, The Knockans/Knockan Road/Ballygarvey Road (Broughshane), Killane Park, the Diamond & Main Street (Ahoghill), Main Street/Gortgole Road area and Garvaghy Grove/Avenue (Portglenone), Kilmakevitt Crescent/Drive/Square/Road and Tobar Park (Cullybackey).

Responding to queries submitted on the issue by Cllr Paul Frew, Mr Fitzpatrick pointed out that ASB ‘hotspots’ were “constantly changing” and while he stated that Ballymena PSNI invested considerable time and effort into prevention, diversion and enforcement of antisocial behaviour in the borough, he said a partnership approach was the key to solving the problem.

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“Persistent offenders can be identified in different ways but usually through repeat calls from an individual or members of the public and then the subsequent follow up by police,” he said.

“Proactive patrolling of an area by police officers will result in identifying person who may be causing problems of ASB. This affords police the opportunity to engage with these individuals at an early stage and possibly identify reasons for the behaviour”.

He also pointed out that not all ASB incidents are crimes, explaining: “There is a discrepancy between what is a crime and what is anti social behaviour”.

Cllr Frew said ASB was a real concern in local communities.

“We hear that crime is down but for the people out there it’s anti-social behaviour that is really affecting communities,” he said,

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“It seems that it is very very hard to deal with but if all the agencies would get proactive and become smarter about the thing - it’s the only way we can solve this problem”.

One recent example of mediation work with young people revealed to the meeting involved the organisation by police of a trip for 30 young people from Dunclug over the Twelfth.

“If it means having a pot of money there to educate young people away from anti social behaviour that might be a good thing. We have to get smarter about this and think outside the box,” said Cllr Frew.