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Police given new disorder powers Police given new disorder powers
(about 3 hours later)
Scottish police forces are to be given more powers to tackle the problem of anti-social behaviour. Scottish police forces have been given new powers to impose on-the-spot fines to tackle anti-social behaviour.
Ministers are to announce that officers will be able to issue on-the-spot fines for a number of crimes, including drunkenness and vandalism. The Scottish Executive said fines will be used to tackle a number of crimes, including drunkenness and vandalism.
The move comes after Tayside Police piloted the use of fixed penalty notices for anti-social behaviour. Scotland's eight forces will be using the powers by the end of the year, after Tayside Police piloted the use of £40 fixed penalty notices.
An independent study has said the £40 fines were a success, and should be rolled out across Scotland. Ministers said the fines allow officers to take swift and visible action against anti-social behaviour.
Ministers have now decided that all Scottish police forces will have the new powers by the end of the year. The move also aims to free up police time to focus on more serious crimes.
They believe fixed penalty notices allow police to take swift and visible action against anti-social behaviour and free up police time to focus on more serious crimes. Speaking in Dundee, Deputy Justice Minister Johann Lamont said: "Crime is falling, including incidents of serious violence, but we know that loutishness, drunkenness and vandalism, if unchallenged, can still cause misery to the law-abiding majority in our communities."
Fixed penalty notices allow police to take swift and visible action against anti-social behaviour Scottish Executive Tayside Chief Constable John Vine said the pilot, described as a success in an independent evaluation by Abertay University, proved to be above expectations.
The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2004 introduced provisions to enable police to issue fixed penalty notices for a range of low level offences. Local people want to see more police on their street Shona Robison SNP MSP
Several alcohol-related offences, persistently playing loud music andvandalism are among those covered. "The process is straightforward and efficient and has made a difference in reducing bureaucracy for the police and our other criminal justice partners," he said.
Offenders issued with a notice are given 28 days to pay a £40 fine or request a court hearing. The fine rises to £60 for offenders who fail to pay within 28 days or challenge it in court.
If the fine is not paid within four weeks, and is not challenged, it increasesto £60. Despite executive claims of a record number of police officers, the SNP said ministers had failed to back their anti-social behaviour policies with a sufficient presence.
A Scottish Executive spokesman said: "Crime, including incidents of serious violence, is falling in Scotland, but we know that loutishness, drunkenness and vandalism, if unchallenged, can still cause misery to the law-abiding majority in our communities. Dundee East SNP MSP Shona Robison said: "Local people want to see more police on their street to back up the good work of the community wardens in making their streets feel safer."
"Fixed penalty notices allow police to take swift and visible action againstanti-social behaviour. Officers in Central Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife and Northern Constabulary will start using fixed penalty notices in the spring.
"The evidence from Tayside suggests that fixed penalty notices free up more police time to enable a greater focus on more serious crimes and also that they deter offenders from repeating such behaviour." Grampian and Lothian and Borders will follow suit by the end of the summer, with the Strathclyde force beginning to use them by the end of 2007.