Anti social behaviour tackled by new policing plan for half term

A youth protection scheme is to be re-run over half term following its success in the summer.

Operation liberate Sept 2015Operation Liberate, led by City of York Council and North Yorkshire Police, and other partners, aims to keep young people feeling and being safe. Police, local authority officers and healthcare professionals offer young people support and help, and where necessary take action to prevent anti-social behaviour or offending.

Between 24 July and 5 September on Friday and Saturday nights during the summer holiday, Operation Liberate targeted areas where anti-social behaviour has been an issue in the past. Police response teams identified 18 young people at risk and vulnerable aged between 10 and 18, of whom 75 per cent were female. Of them, 25 per cent were in danger of getting involved in anti-social behaviour and 75 per cent were considered vulnerable.

The council’s Youth Offending Team assessed the level of need of these young people and offered interventions for those at risk of anti-social behaviour or offending. Working with the Jack Raine Foundation, those identified were taken to safe places where they could meet support workers. These included NHS sexual health professionals, the Independent Domestic Abuse Service (IDAS) which can support young people on matters of domestic or teen relationship abuse and support workers from The Rock Church.

For those not identified as vulnerable but who were creating nuisance, police used conventional arrest and custody procedures including dispersal orders where appropriate as well as other forms of police decision making. The evaluation of the operation found that it has helped reduce the number of young people entering the criminal justice system for the first time as well as health and social care services. These numbers have been falling significantly over the last three years with a further 27 per cent reduction last year.

Young people approached told officers that they were aware of the operation over the summer.

Inspector Lee Pointon of North Yorkshire Police, said: “Operation Liberate is a great example of NYP and partners working closely together to protect members of our community who are vulnerable or exposed to risks. The high visibility and reassurance patrols that are carried out by officers during this operation assist in making our communities safer.”

The next operation will run during the autumn half term from Friday 23 October until 6 November.

 

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