THE police sergeant in charge of community policing in Tavistock and Okehampton is urging people to have their say about increasing police powers to crack down on anti-social behaviour in both towns.

The consultation on creating alcohol Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) runs until Friday, August 23.

The orders would cover the whole of both towns, giving police the power to seize alcohol and disperse crowds or individuals causing trouble or deemed likely to do so.

The current PSPO in Tavistock only applies to the Meadows park, but Tavistock Police neighbourhood policing team leader Sgt Tom Ottley wants the whole of Tavistock to be included in the new PSPO.

He sees it as crucial to giving the police the clout they need to counter an increasing problem of anti-social behaviour throughout Tavistock. 

Okehampton does not currently have a PSPO, although it does have CCTV installed to address ongoing problems with vandalism. 

The orders are made by the local council, West Devon Borough Council, in consultation with the police. 

If permitted, it will be introduced on November 14 this year and last for three years.

It will give police the power to seize alcohol and to make a dispersal order to stay out of town for 24 hours, on pain of being prosecuted and fined £1,000 if they break the ban.

Sgt Ottley said: “What I have done is essentially draw up a proposal that can cover the entire town, which means that it doesn’t matter where in the town people are causing trouble, we can seize the alcohol and we can disperse them.

“I know if feels like a big step to go from just the Meadows to the whole town. However, in Plymouth, where I used to work, the entire city was covered by an alcohol PSPO and it works.”

He stressed that those having a social drink in a public place – wine with a picnic for instance – would not be forced to hand it over. “It is not about alcohol it is about anti-social behaviour fuelled by alcohol,” he said.

“We want people to engage with the feedback process because it is important for them to have their say. Equally, if they have concerns and questions this is the point where they need to raise them. We are not just steamrolling through and saying this is going to happen.  This is an extra string to our bow and tool in our toolkit 

“Tavistock is a modern town and there are modern problems that come along with it. The town is expanding at a rate of knots with the last four housing developments there is an increase in population. 

“We have had some really significant problems [this year] and yes we are targeting the individuals involved in what which is a drawn out process but we can use these powers at an earlier stage.”

You can view and comment on the public consultation at https://publicalcohol.commonplace.is/ and also submit comments by post to: Environmental Protection Team, West Devon Borough Council, Kilworthy Park, Drake Road, Tavistock PL19 0BZ