A warning shot was fired to young trouble makers across Merthyr on Friday, 16th April, when enforcement agencies teamed up to tackle the emergence of anti-social behaviour across the borough.
Operation Delta was launched on the same day when schools break-up for the Easter Holidays in anticipation of an annual rise in nuisance behaviour, which is often fuelled by alcohol.
The aim of the Merthyr Tydfil Community Safety Partnership operation, which involved officers from South Wales Police, British Transport Police, St John’s Ambulance, and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council such as Trading Standards, Education Wellfare staff, was to deter youngsters from causing anti-social behaviour throughout the week-long holiday which lay ahead.
During the day time, police officers and PCSOs teamed up with education welfare officers to tackle truancy.
Across Merthyr, 125 youngsters were either returned to school, or if they were in the company of their parents when approached, the parents were quizzed as to why their children were with them and not in school.
South Wales Police Sergeant Richie Gardiner, who co-ordinated the operation, said: “We know that those who truant from school tend to hang around together in certain areas. Often the parents will think they are in school so they can’t go home and to avoid boredom they end up getting into mischief as they have to while away the hours they should be spending in the classroom.
“Some of the children caught truanting were doing so with their parents’ permission. Some of the excuses given astounded us; One parents deemed it acceptable to grant their child a day off from school just to have their hair cut; and another parent let their child off from school so they could get a dress for a party the child was attending that evening. One parent even admitted they had succumbed to their child because ‘he didn’t want to go and they didn’t want to argue with him’.
During the evening, the focus turned to under age drinking and for that neighbourhood police officers teamed up with licensing colleagues and with officers from Trading Standards.
A total of 31 anti social behaviour referrals were made throughout the evening. These refer individuals into an effective four-stage process which is proven to prevent further incidents of anti social behaviour by most individuals.
A significant amount of alcohol was also seized from underage drinkers, and three of those who were found to be under the influence of alcohol were taken to a mobile police station which was set up at the Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Village where they were assessed by St John’s Ambulance staff. Their parents were contacted and made to pick them up to take them home.
In addition, one fixed penalty notice was issued and one person was arrested for being drunk and disorderly.
Trading Standards Officers targeted four off licenses and discovered one male who had been served alcohol using a fake driving license. The alcohol and the fake id was seized, and the male responsible was taken home. The owner of the off license was given suitable advice.
Chairperson of the CSP and Leader of MTCBC, Councillor Jeff Edwards, said: “Drink fuelled anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated. The Community Safety Partnership works to address issues such as these and will continue to do so to make Merthyr Tydfil a safer place in which residents and visitors can feel comfortable”.
Licensing officers carried out one test purchase which proved compliant, and visited seven different licensed premises. One pub licensee is being investigated for breaching their license conditions after they were caught serving alcohol after hours.
Sergeant Richie Gardiner, said, “We focussed on enforcement because we wanted a strong, timely message to go out that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated. It is vitally important that the Easter holidays are an enjoyable experience for everyone, not something to dread for fear of nuisance behaviour from young people. Young people, and their parents who aren’t doing enough to supervise what their children are up to, need to appreciate that.”
