Labour has defended the concept of new ‘respect orders’ for fighting anti-social behaviour – but admitted the details are still unclear.
In its manifesto, the party said it would give powers to “ban persistent adult offenders from town centres, which will stamp out issues such as public drinking and drug use”.
The Blair government previously spearheaded ASBOs – anti-social behaviour orders – now regarded by many as a failure.
Half were breached, two-thirds were breached more than once, and Labour never reached its target on reducing re-offending. They were scrapped in 2014.
Respect orders appear to have a very similar remit to ASBOs – and policing minister Dame Diana Johnson told Sky News the process of how they will work is still being developed.
She instead restated the general ambition of the new scheme.
“[They] will be about preventing those prolific offenders who are causing anti-social behaviour in our communities up and down the land from going into areas like town centres, or other public spaces like parks,” said Dame Diana.
“There’ll be consequences for their actions,” she added. “It’s likely that will lead – if they are breached – into criminal sanctions.”
Dame Diana admitted the last Labour government didn’t get everything right on the issue, but said it “identified a problem and tried to deal with it” through more police on the streets and legislation to take people to court.
The MP for Hull North said the situation had become “a lot worse” under the Tories.
She told Sky News: “The focus that Labour had on neighbourhood policing, on providing the powers for policing, that wasn’t a priority for them for the last 14 years.”
Following criticism from the victims’ commissioner, Dame Diana said many who suffer with anti-social behaviour are still being let down by police and councils.
She said it was “depressing” that progress appeared not to have been made over the last few decades and that a more coordinated approach was vital, with better support for victims.
“I’ve had constituents say to me, ‘I’ve rung the council or I’ve rung the police, nobody comes and nothing is done’,” said Dame Diana.
“So I think it is about recognising we need to get much better at this joined-up approach to dealing with what’s going on in communities and tackling the individuals who are causing the problems to families.”
Keir Starmer met police during a visit to an area affected by anti-social behaviour in Reading in January. Pic:PA
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The new government has also promised to bring 13,000 more neighbourhood police officers, police community support officers (PCSOs) and special constables to the streets.
The minister denied that PCSOs are often ineffectual at combatting anti-social behaviour.
Dame Diana said their presence “walking the beat, engaging with local communities, talking to people, [is] a presence that is really welcomed”.
However, she couldn’t yet say how many of the promised 13,000 will be full-time police officers with comprehensive powers, and how many will be PCSOs.
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“I don’t know the exact figure yet,” she said. “But I obviously want to see that 13,000 on our streets as soon as possible,” said the minister.
“And it will be a mix, because we recognise that PCSOs have a very valuable role to play on the streets, in communities, as do the warranted officers as well.”
She said she had only been in the job two months and establishing the precise figures was one of her priorities.
