Tackling street drinking in Wycombe

30 April 2010

Thanks to the work of Wycombe District Council and Thames Valley Police, priority areas of High Wycombe are now subject to an alcohol control order.

While it is not an offence to consume alcohol within a controlled area, this Order empowers the Police, Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and Accredited Community Support Officers (ASCOs) to request people to stop drinking alcohol or to surrender any alcohol in their possession where it is considered that the person is acting in an anti-social manner as a result of alcohol consumption.

A Designated Public Places Order is made by a local authority under Section 13 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001. Under section 12 of the same Act if an officer reasonably believes that a person is, or has been consuming alcohol in a designated area, or intends to do so they can require the person not to consume alcohol and that they hand over any alcohol or container for alcohol in their possession. Failure to do so, without reasonable excuse is a criminal offence and the maximum fine on conviction in the Magistrates court is £500.

Inspector Russ Murden, Wycombe neighbourhood policing, said: "The extended zone of the alcohol control order was sought by Thames Valley Police and Wycombe District Council after residents in the town highlighted street drinking as one of the main issues affecting the area they live in. We have been enforcing the new order, along with Wycombe District Council, for a month now and it's already giving town centre residents more confidence in where they live."

Designated Public Places Order was issued on 1st April 2010.