POLICE could be handed fresh crime-fighting powers in a bid to stamp out anti-social behaviour outside Alton Community Centre. In recent months, the car park outside the centre in Vicarage Hill has been a hotspot for yobbish behaviour. People have been assaulted, vehicles have been vandalised and centre users have suffered verbal abuse. The worrying tide of anti-social behaviour led Alton police to step up patrols in the vicinity of the centre, but now they are to appeal to a top Hampshire police officer for the area to be declared a dispersal zone. Sergeant Marcus Johns, of Alton Police, said: "We seem to have a problem when there is a community meeting there with assaults, damage, anti-social behaviour, swearing - this is all unacceptable behaviour. "This has been going on for a long time now. I was promoted here from Southampton six months ago and there were problems there then. "Up until now we have been tackling it with extra patrols - police officers have been designated to the area outside the community centre, but due to our resources, we can't always be there. "A dispersal order is another tool to try and curb the anti-social behaviour." Police are currently putting together a package of evidence which they intend to present to Bob Rose, superintendent for Central Hampshire, to convince him that a dispersal order is needed in the vicinity of the centre. If approved, police will have the power to disperse groups of two or more youths and ban them from returning to the area within 24 hours. If they fail to comply they can be arrested and could face a fine of up to £5,000 or up to three months in prison. After 9 pm officers will also be able to take unsupervised under 16s home to their parents. Sgt Johns said it was important that the dispersal order was enforced sooner rather than later. "The ball is rolling at the moment. The sooner we can get it done, the sooner we can start enforcing the dispersal order." The announcement followed a meeting on Wednesday between community centre manager Richard Swainston, Inspector Tony Tipping, of Alton Police, officers from East Hampshire District Council and Hampshire police's crime prevention design adviser. The meeting was held to discuss the ongoing anti-social behaviour problems outside the centre. Although welcoming the possible introduction of a dispersal order outside the community centre, Mr Swainston believes it is just one "tool" in the fight against the unacceptable behaviour. "Anything that is going to get the message across to them that this is unacceptable behaviour is fine by me," he said. "But, it is not enough to just hit them over the head with orders and ASBOs (Anti Social Behaviour Orders) and the rest of it. "It needs to be a multi agency approach. At the meeting, we discussed a lot of things including lighting and cutting back the bushes and removing the seats where they tend to congregate."
