Troublesome and violent drunks could be banned from entering pubs and stopped from buying alcohol during set times following the launch of a new team to help fight booze-fuelled disorder.
In what is thought to be the first of its kind in the UK, Northamptonshire Police today launched a new alcohol harm reduction team, to help try to bring down late-night violence, crime and drunkenness.
The team, which will be made up of six Pcs and one sergeant, is to be tasked with carrying out undercover checks on pubs, clubs and off-licences, highlighting crime trends in problem premises and making sure bars, pubs and clubs adhere to the laws and do not sell to alcohol to people who are already drunk.
The team will also aim to crack down on underage booze sales.
Speaking today, police revealed test purchasing operations in Silverstone this weekend found six premises, five outside the circuit, sold alcohol to teenagers. They have all been fined.
The new team will also target street drinking and under-age drinkers during the school holidays, however, it was revealed much of the work will be done at night and across weekends.
One of the tools police say they are planning to use is a booze ban, which officers say will be similar to an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) and will be handed out to persistent drunks.
Officers say the orders, which are seen as “an extension” to PubWatch banning orders, are given out by magistrates and have the power to ban people from going to pubs and even from buying alcohol.
Chief Superintendent Paul Fell said: “We will be monitoring people who are arrested and dealt with in our town centres.
“I will know on a Monday morning if a person has been arrested and I will know if it is the second or third time and then we will be potentially looking at these orders.”
He said the team had already started the process of identifying people who could be given orders.
Chief Inspector Dave Spencer said that he hopes the actions of the new team will cause a “ripple” effect across Northamptonshire and help to reduce booze-fuelled crime across the county.
However, he promised the team will not act in a “draconian” way and will aim to continue to work with pub door staff, club owners and people who drink in town centres.
Chief Inspector Spencer added: “This is not just about persecution and prosecution of licensees, our primary aim is to work with them to make licensed premises better and safer places for people to go and socialise.
“It is those few people who choose to run a licensed premises poorly who will be targeted by this team.”
He added: “If we demonstrate a real focus on adherence to the licensing laws then what I really want to see is standards raised so that if premises are not as responsible as we would like then they become more responsible.”
Police say alcohol and particularly late-night binge drinking, remains a “significant cause”, to violence, crime and other social issues in Northampton and the rest of the county.
The launch of the team comes as Northamptonshire Police warns officers are to be “less tolerant” of drunkenness and clamp down on loutishness more “rigorously and robustly”.
The team was launched at Wootton Hall today by Chief Superintendent Paul Fell, Chief Inspector Dave Spencer, Inspector Vaughan Clarke and David Hedger, from Trading Standards.