AN initiative aimed at cracking down on anti social behaviour in part of Ipswich has been extended.

A dispersal order which was introduced in the northwest part of the town in October 2009 has been extended for a further six months.

Suffolk Police together with Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) implemented the order in the Whitehouse area after receiving reports of youths causing trouble there.

Since the introduction of the dispersal order the situation in Whitehouse has improved, however police have decided to extend the order.

Inspector Richard Lane from the West Ipswich Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) said: “Since the dispersal order was put in place the area has seen a decrease in reports of anti social behaviour and damage, however residents and the SNT are concerned that the problems may increase with the warmer evenings and we have seen recently that the problem still remains.

“We are using three main methods to help create an environment where people feel safe.

“Activities for young people are being developed, with the help of local youth workers, action is being taken against problem people in the area using the dispersal order and we have used Anti-Social Behaviour powers against some of the young people involved in causing problems for residents.

“These diversionary tactics and multi-agency work will continue and the dispersal order will be subject to on-going monitoring and review during the six month period.”

Dispersal Orders are a power under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, which give a senior police officer the power to designate an area, with local authority agreement, where there is a persistent anti-social behaviour and a problem with groups causing intimidation.

Under the act, police officers have the ‘power to disperse groups where their presence or behaviour has resulted, or is likely to result, in a member of the public being harassed, intimidated, alarmed or distressed’. The individuals can then be excluded from a specified area for up to 24 hours.