From Sat's P&J, thought it might be of interest!
NEW POLICE POWERS TO TACKLE BOULEY BASHERS
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SCOTT MACNAB
09:00 - 26 February 2005
New hard-line police powers are to be used in Scotland for the first time to tackle Aberdeen's bouley bashers.
It means that the cruisers, infamous for high-speed antics on the city's Beach Boulevard, face being arrested or having their cars seized if they continue to cause problems for locals.
The Beach Boulevard itself is also in line to be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am to help deal with noise from the souped-up cars.
Grampian Police proposals to designate the Beach Boulevard and its surrounding streets as a "dispersal area" won the overwhelming backing from locals at a meeting in Aberdeen last night.
The moves come after years of complaints about noise from revving engines and amplified stereos.
It would be the first time that the powers of dispersal have been used in Scotland since being introduced by the Scottish Parliament last year as part of the anti-social behaviour legislation.
Chief Inspector Adrian Watson said that it would apply to any of a group of two or more people behaving in an anti-social way.
He explained: "It means we are entitled to tell them to disperse.
"If they come back within 24 hours then they can be arrested."
The officer added that this would be done on the authority of the chief superintendent on duty.
He went on: "People are entitled to come down in their cars as long as they behave themselves and we do understand that it's only a minority that are causing the problems.
"But we have a duty to the local community here. They are entitled to a good night's sleep and some peace and quiet."
Chief Insp Watson said that anyone arrested could be held in jail and charged, in liaison with the fiscal's office.
New legislation which is due to come in next month will also give police powers that will enable them to confiscate the cars of troublemakers.
Offending behaviour could be deemed to include things like playing amplified music, blaring headlights and causing noise and general nuisance to the local community.
The police must go through a formal consultation process before setting up the dispersal area, but Chief Insp Watson said this could be fast-tracked.
He told last night's meeting: "We have enough information on this from working with the council and residents to say that we can tick the boxes and move on."
The dispersal area would be in place for three months after which time it would be reviewed by police chiefs.
The meeting was organised by Aberdeen Central MP Frank Doran and attended by about 50 people, including a handful of cruisers.
It also heard police give their backing to a move to close the Beach Boulevard between 10pm and 6am, seven days a week.
Warning signs will be put up at the roundabout at the western end of the Boulevard and then at Hanover Street where the restriction starts. It ends at Links Road.
The move is a motion by local councillor Jim Hunter and will come before the council's environment and infrastructure committee next month.
But Gordon McIntosh, neighbourhood services (central) director with the city council, indicated his support last night.
CCTV cameras will catch vehicles breaching the restriction and offenders will face fines and have points added to their licences. Residents and emergency vehicles would be exempted.
Mr McIntosh said that traffic from Codona's and the cinema complex would be diverted either along Commerce Street or to the harbour via Constitution Street or along the Beach Promenade.
NEW POLICE POWERS TO TACKLE BOULEY BASHERS
Next Story | Previous Story | Back to list
SCOTT MACNAB
09:00 - 26 February 2005
New hard-line police powers are to be used in Scotland for the first time to tackle Aberdeen's bouley bashers.
It means that the cruisers, infamous for high-speed antics on the city's Beach Boulevard, face being arrested or having their cars seized if they continue to cause problems for locals.
The Beach Boulevard itself is also in line to be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am to help deal with noise from the souped-up cars.
Grampian Police proposals to designate the Beach Boulevard and its surrounding streets as a "dispersal area" won the overwhelming backing from locals at a meeting in Aberdeen last night.
The moves come after years of complaints about noise from revving engines and amplified stereos.
It would be the first time that the powers of dispersal have been used in Scotland since being introduced by the Scottish Parliament last year as part of the anti-social behaviour legislation.
Chief Inspector Adrian Watson said that it would apply to any of a group of two or more people behaving in an anti-social way.
He explained: "It means we are entitled to tell them to disperse.
"If they come back within 24 hours then they can be arrested."
The officer added that this would be done on the authority of the chief superintendent on duty.
He went on: "People are entitled to come down in their cars as long as they behave themselves and we do understand that it's only a minority that are causing the problems.
"But we have a duty to the local community here. They are entitled to a good night's sleep and some peace and quiet."
Chief Insp Watson said that anyone arrested could be held in jail and charged, in liaison with the fiscal's office.
New legislation which is due to come in next month will also give police powers that will enable them to confiscate the cars of troublemakers.
Offending behaviour could be deemed to include things like playing amplified music, blaring headlights and causing noise and general nuisance to the local community.
The police must go through a formal consultation process before setting up the dispersal area, but Chief Insp Watson said this could be fast-tracked.
He told last night's meeting: "We have enough information on this from working with the council and residents to say that we can tick the boxes and move on."
The dispersal area would be in place for three months after which time it would be reviewed by police chiefs.
The meeting was organised by Aberdeen Central MP Frank Doran and attended by about 50 people, including a handful of cruisers.
It also heard police give their backing to a move to close the Beach Boulevard between 10pm and 6am, seven days a week.
Warning signs will be put up at the roundabout at the western end of the Boulevard and then at Hanover Street where the restriction starts. It ends at Links Road.
The move is a motion by local councillor Jim Hunter and will come before the council's environment and infrastructure committee next month.
But Gordon McIntosh, neighbourhood services (central) director with the city council, indicated his support last night.
CCTV cameras will catch vehicles breaching the restriction and offenders will face fines and have points added to their licences. Residents and emergency vehicles would be exempted.
Mr McIntosh said that traffic from Codona's and the cinema complex would be diverted either along Commerce Street or to the harbour via Constitution Street or along the Beach Promenade.
