Police measures help tackle anti-social behaviour in Oswestry
Oswestry's Local Policing officers face a busy few days helping with measures designed to improve relations with young people and reduce anti-social behaviour.
The Oswestry Town West Local Policing Team is involved with the National Play Day event being staged at Gatacre tomorrow. They will also be attending a similar event in Cae Glas Park on Wednesday.
On Sunday, local officers and community support officers will be staging a soccer tournament at the Oswestry Boys and Girls Club, Park Hall for boys and girls aged nine to 11.
The activities are part of the West Mercia Police "Respect" initiative being run throughout the school summer holidays. It promotes a range of measures the police and its partners have set up to reduce anti-social behaviour. Working with young people in the community has significantly reduced such behaviour in many parts of Shropshire.
The campaign also aims to raise awareness of the impact anti-social behaviour can have on others and encourages respect and tolerance.
Sunday's soccer tournament is very much a fun day with those signed up having to be at the venue for 9am in good time for a 10am kick-off. Consent forms have to be signed before youngsters can take part.
One of the organisers, Community Support Officer Hannah Bishop, said the all-day tournament was being held to provide positive entertainment for boys and girls during their summer holidays.
"It's part of our diversion approach to young people where we work with our partner agencies to provide things for them to do. This approach has been highly successful in the Oswestry area and others parts of Shropshire in significantly reducing anti-social behaviour.
"It is also an effective way for the police to build bridges with young people and brings benefits for the whole community."
For further information about the event - which has received fund-aid from the West Mercia Police Authority - CSO Bishop can be contacted at Oswestry police station on 0300 333 3000.
