IN MANY communities, anti-social behaviour can be constant source of nuisance and can even prove to be a strain on residents’ quality of life.

Apprehension and intimidation can often be the case with groups of youngsters loitering the street or public spaces, and there is a fear that those same groups may carry out vandalism, thefts or, in some cases, assaults against members of their own community.

The issue of anti-social behaviour is long been a priority for Police Scotland and appears frequently in community policing plans across the country.

Clackmannanshire is no different with local officers dealing with a number of complaints regarding noisy and unruly behaviour most weekends.

The community policing team was created to work with residents, businesses and other civic organisations to help maintain order. However, one of its other aims is to help steer those youngsters who engage in potentially-criminal anti-social behaviour away from committing more serious offences.

Inspector Charlie Mitchell, based at Alloa Police Station, said: “Although we are an enforcement agency primarily, we don’t want to be rounding young people up and throwing them in vans for hanging out on street corners and basically being a bit misguided.

“Clearly, if it’s coming down to people being assaulted and hurt then it’s a different matter. But if we’re talking about a breach of the peace, rowdy behaviour or hanging around street corners, then we don’t feel bringing them into the formal criminal justice service is an effective way forward.

“There may well be one member of a group that might go on to become a greater nuisance in their adult life, but the vast majority of kids just won’t — they’ll be nothing like that.

“And we can’t approach anti-social behaviour situations assuming the whole group is likely to become a permanent fixture at Alloa Sheriff Court later in life.” Community Sergeant Kevin Chase added: “What’s important is that we get across an education message because we don’t want to criminalise children unless it is needed.

“It never solves the underlying problem to simply go out and charge those youngsters causing a nuisance. The cause will still be there but we recognise there is a point where we have to step in to protect community and those youngsters who put themselves at risk.” Indeed, Police Scotland work with the social work department, schools, and others to try and safeguard the welfare of vulnerable youngsters. This ethos often applies when dealing with teenagers engaging in anti-social behaviour.

Inspector Mitchell said: “We manage, educate and identify those few vulnerable kids in the group who may be at real risk.

“These are youngsters who may be where they are because there are problems at home, or something like that, then we have reporting systems which we share with partners in the public protection unit. Where there are risks, we want them in a support system to help deal with it.” One key strategy in tackling anti-social behaviour is “restricting” the flow of alcohol into young groups. Officers in Clackmannanshire often undertake visits to licensed businesses to gain their help in trying to keep underage drinking, and its associated disorder, to a minimum.

Insp. Mitchell said: “Large groups of youngsters will always attract large call numbers, will still create fear and apprehension, but it is not overwhelmingly the case that these groups will drink. That being said, alcohol consumption among young teenagers inevitably leads to issues.

“But we’re not out to point the finger at businesses or make life difficult for them. We always start off from a point of co-operation; we want to work together here.

“We have had some excellent community support here as well. In one of the villages, after our officers had done a bit of work with one of the licensed premises, the owner had a person of legal age trying to buy about £90 of alcohol.

“But he knew that guy was related to one of the younger kids causing trouble in the village and suspected some of the alcohol might find its way in to their hands so he refused the sale. Now, that’s a small business refusing a £90 sale, but that underlines the support we get from the community if the message is given in the right way.” Sgt. Chase added: “And on the back of that one refusal, we had no call outs to that area that night, the following night and the following weekend.

“All because he refused to sell to someone he believed would supply alcohol to underage people. We had no call outs because the youth disorder just wasn’t there.” Officers have also started using social media to gather intelligence about incidents — a tactic which lead to police intercepting a gang of youths travelling into Tillicoultry last January as part of an organised fight.

There is also the use of diversionary tactics which involved getting youngsters into workshops during peak times for anti-social behaviour. Those who work with the outreach services often go on trips to laser quest or M&Ds, again at the weekends or evenings.

Inspector Mitchell concluded: “We have to get the message out to the community that they have a part to play in this as well because it is their kids that we are chasing about.

“It may not be their own children, but maybe a neighbours or a relative. The bottom line is they are from the same community.

“And we need to get the message across to the kids that the people they are annoying are part of their community as well.”