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23 December 2008
A new power targeting offenders who commit crime under the influence of alcohol was unveiled today.
From next summer, drinking banning orders will allow police and local authorities to stop a person entering certain premises if they have been involved in criminal or disorderly conduct under the influence of alcohol. Breach of a drinking banning order, which can last up to two years, could lead to a fine of up to £2,500. The orders are focused on people whose drinking has been identified as a factor in their irresponsible and disorderly behaviour.
To add to the range of tools and powers to tackle alcohol-related crime and disorder, the government also published new guidance on obtaining designated public place orders and establishing alcohol disorder zones.
Statement from Home Office Minister
Alan Campbell said, ‘The government has given police and local authorities a wide range of tools and powers to tackle alcohol fuelled crime. We have recently given police forces and councils across England and Wales a cash boost of £4.5 million to deal with specific local problems.
'Drinking banning orders will focus on offenders who’ve committed crime under the influence of alcohol. They are an example of our targeted and focused approach to ensure people can enjoy drinking sensibly and sociably.
'Alcohol disorder zones are a measure of last resort and I encourage councils and police to follow the action plan process to tackle alcohol related crime and disorder where it is required. They can help recover some policing costs caused by alcohol fuelled crime and disorder.'
Alan Campbell today visited Alnwick in Northumberland which has two designated public place orders which means police and accredited local authority officials can confiscate alcohol in public places and can order individuals in that area to stop drinking alcohol.
Statement from the Association of Chief Police Officers
Mike Craik, Association of Chief Police Officers national spokesperson for alcohol and licensing, said, 'This significant funding of £4.5 million will enable us to make further inroads into what are real local issues in many areas. Police forces are always ready to work alongside partners in local councils to use resources and powers to provide a focus on drunken offenders who cannot behave in public places and who spoil the experience of others.
'The ability to take action against these problematic people by preventing them from entering certain places is something forces up and down the country can work with in future. Alongside intelligence-led enforcement activity directed at the specific problems excessive alcohol consumption brings, measures such as alcohol disorder zones, as a position of last resort, can also be a useful tool in the range of powers available to us.'
Statement from the Local Government Association Safer Communities
Hazel Harding, chair of the Local Government Association Safer Communities Board, said, 'Drink fuelled anti-social behaviour is a major concern for many councils and this power is a necessary step in helping them deal with it. However, it's important to recognise that Drinking Banning Orders should only be used as a last resort, when all other efforts to tackle the problem have been exhausted. Also, it remains to be seen how they will be enforced.'
Statement from Alcohol Concern
Don Shenker, chief executive of Alcohol Concern, national alcohol misuse charity, said, ‘If used as part of a package of measures to reduce alcohol harms these initiatives can make a real difference to safety on our streets. Policing of alcohol-related crime must go hand in hand with more robust measures to curb irresponsible and illegal sales and improved treatment pathways for dependent drinkers.'
Notes to editors
The alcohol disorder zones guidance (new window) is available for download.
Guidance on Designated Public Place Orders (DPPO): (new window) For Local Authorities in England and Wales is available for download from the Home Office Crime Reduction website.
The government intends to introduce drinking banning orders in the summer 2009, when police and local authorities will be able to apply to magistrates’ courts. These will apply to offenders who have committed crime under the influence of alcohol.
Designated public place orders, such as the one in Alnwick, allow police and local authority officials to confiscate alcohol in public places and can be used to stop people from drinking alcohol. Anyone who does not comply with this order can be arrested and fined up to £500. They can also be issued with a Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND). To date over 654 designated public place orders have been issued to help tackle disorder fuelled by alcohol across the country.
Alcohol disorder zones have been available since June 2008 to force alcohol retailers to pay for the extra enforcement caused by alcohol fuelled crime and disorder. Local authorities should consider setting up an alcohol disorder zone as a tool of last resort in an area that suffers from persistently high levels of alcohol related crime and disorder that cannot be easily fixed by other tools and powers. Liaising with police, local authorities should consult for at last one month on the proposed alcohol disorder zone before making a final decision. The local authority should then publish an action plan to tackle alcohol related crime and disorder. Once implemented, the local authority can impose compulsory charges to cover additional enforcement undertaken by police and councils.
