PARENTS are being urged not to bring their teenagers to an anti-social behaviour hotspot after 999 calls were made over youths throwing fireworks.
Police say they are tackling disorder by young people in Cleator Moor and are working with partner agencies following a number of incidents.
On October 21, officers received 999 calls in relation to young people throwing fireworks in the market square.
Copeland Police have slammed the behaviour as ‘disgraceful’ and ‘dangerous’ and have warned that it poses a danger to members of the public.
A group of approximately 50 young people were given a dispersal order for 24 hours. If they had returned to the area within those 24 hours they would have been arrested.
The order covered Cleator Moor Square, Jacktrees Road, Victoria Street, Market Street, Duke Street and Cragg Road.
Five people were stop searched and alcohol disposed of.
The dispersal order was then extended for 72 hours. There were no further issues reported the following weekend of young people being involved in anti-social behaviour.
A spokesperson for Copeland Police said: “We are asking parents: is there a need for your child to be in Cleator Moor on an evening?
“If the answer is no then please do not support them by bringing them up to the area and let the Police tackle these issues and help us to support our victims.
“Everyone in the community has a part to play by keeping this area an ASB free zone.
“Please be assured that we are taking every step to tackle this behaviour and we ask the public to make us aware of any crime or ASB being committed to contact us on 101 or in an emergency 999.”
Michael Eldon, who represents Cleator Moor West on Cumberland Council, said: “We are aware of the increase in anti-social behaviour in the town and that people from other areas are being dropped off. Please, if you are dropping your child off at Cleator Moor, ensure you know what they are getting up to.
“There has been a multi-agency effort to try to understand why people are coming to Cleator Moor to cause anti-social behaviour and we are working together to make sure that the young people’s voices are heard and we can hopefully come to a solution that works for everyone.
“We want it to stop now. We don’t want it to be pushed onto any other town. We need to work out a solution that works best for everyone.”
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