Two estates in Epsom and Ewell face police dispersal orders this weekend following "increased" reports of anti-social behaviour recently.
Police announced on Thursday (October 28) that areas around both the Longmead Estate in Epsom and the Watersedge Estate in West Ewell would face Section 34 dispersal orders from 11am on Saturday until 3am on Monday.
A Section 60 Dispersal Order will also be in place on both estates that are close to each other geographically over the time period.
Police said their heavy-handed approach this weekend is being enforced after they had "received an increased number of reports of anti-social behaviour in the Longmead Estate and Watersedge Estate areas of Epsom and Ewell."
We've received an increased number of reports of ASB in the Longmead Estate and Watersedge Estate areas.
— Epsom and Ewell Beat (Surrey Police) (@EpsomEwellBeat) October 28, 2021
From 11:00am on Saturday, 30 October to 03:00am on Monday, 1 November there will be dispersal orders in place that cover these areas.
More info: https://t.co/qVv5uhsG8w pic.twitter.com/873qbqeABL
Epsom and Ewell Borough Commander, Inspector Jon Vale, said: "We are committed to doing everything we can to keep our local communities safe. As always, if any members of the community see any suspicious, anti-social, or threatening behaviour, please report it to us. In an emergency, always call 999."
Section 34 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act gives us the power to ask a group of two or more people to leave the dispersal area if they are committing anti-social behaviour, or if we believe that they may, or are likely to, cause a nuisance to someone else.
A Section 60 dispersal meanwhile gives officers the right to use the "Stop and Search" method in a defined area during a specific time period when they "believe with good reason that serious violence could take place".
The use of police dispersal orders, in particular Section 60, has been criticised by civil rights groups in recent years.
Liberty for example described the use of Section 60 Stop and Search as a "recipe for discrimination" and have pointed out that, outside of London, Black people were "43 times more likely to be stopped and searched without justification" than white people.
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