“We should challenge this type of behaviour, but we should never give up on the young people behind this activity.”
An interface community in Belfast is working alongside police to take practical steps to reduce disorder at a flashpoint.
The Broadway roundabout area has been a regular site for interface anti-social behaviour, and police alongside community groups are urging young people to be aware that their actions can have long-lasting consequences.
The PSNI have released a video created with St Peter’s Immaculata Youth Club in West Belfast and Greater Village Regeneration Trust in South Belfast, to highlight the cross-community approach being taken to tackle anti-social behaviour in the area.
Practical steps taken to prevent disorder in the Broadway area include cameras placed at the interface, alongside police patrols, and partnership activity with local groups.
West Belfast Superintendent Mark Conway said: “Police have dealt with interface anti-social behaviour at Broadway for a considerable period of time. This has caused distress to residents in the area and for those involved and apprehended by police, resulted in criminal convictions and detrimental impacts on future plans.
“Anti-social behaviour is sometimes described as low-level crime. For the people living in communities, there is nothing low-level about its impact. It can leave people frightened, damage communities and place enormous pressure on police resources.
“This is why we have relaunched our video aimed at reaching young people in these communities to remind them of the consequences of their actions.
“Through the wider partnership under the Broadway action plan, we have invested in prevention and taken practical steps to make this area safer. That has included additional measures such as cameras placed at the interface alongside policing engagement and sustained partnership activity.
“Cameras and police patrols alone are not the deterrent to help build communities. When a young person engages in anti-social behaviour, whether that’s throwing masonry or other forms of criminality, they potentially damage something in their own community or caught up in disorder.
“They can hurt another person, harm the community their own family lives in and more importantly damage their own future. This can impact on travel plans, career aspirations or future endeavours due to reckless activity having a negative impact on their communities.”
Stephen Hughes, from St Peter’s Immaculata Youth Club in West Belfast said: “Our partnership with police is about securing the best outcome for young people, preventing their participation in the justice system and reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in our communities”
Zara Gregg, from Greater Village Regeneration Trust added: “Through strong partnerships, we can reduce harm, protect our communities and ensure our young people have safer opportunities beyond anti-social behaviour.”
Superintendent Conway added: “We should challenge this type of behaviour, but we should never give up on the young people behind this activity. We want them to recognise the power they have not to damage their communities.
“This is not just a policing matter. This belongs to all of us including families, youth workers, community leaders, statutory partners and most importantly young people themselves.
“The work of the last year has shown what partnership can achieve. The next step is bigger than reducing incidents. It is about creating communities where people feel safe, where young people feel they belong and where they can see a future worth protecting.”
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login