Red card scheme gets Halloween launch in East Surrey
Submitted: 29/10/2003 07:56:00
Police in East Surrey are introducing a red card/yellow card scheme in time for Halloween to help keep the festival fun for all.
Police officers in Reigate and Banstead and the Mole Valley will now be able to show a yellow card to anyone who is behaving anti-socially, and if they repeat their behaviour they will be red carded and prosecuted.
The Surrey Street Standards scheme targets behaviour like swearing, dropping litter and urinating in the street, and has already proved very successful in Staines and Woking where it has been run as a pilot. The system is being introduced across the force over the next couple of weeks.
Chief Inspector Keith Stribblehill says the beauty of the idea is that it is so simple:
“Britain is a sporting nation and just about everyone understands the principle of being shown a yellow card as a warning and a red card for a repeat offence. It lets people know that they have overstepped the line, and if it is a one off then no further action will be taken. However if they continue to behave badly then we will take them to court.
“The scheme is ideal for something like Halloween, because some people just get carried away with the occasion and don’t stop to think about how their behaviour can be very intimidating, particularly to the elderly or vulnerable. Those kind of people will get a yellow card and in the vast majority of cases it is enough to make them realise they are making a fool of themselves and upsetting others and they stop.
“Of course there are others who will use any excuse to justify their anti-social actions. The ‘trick or treat’ tradition of Halloween has been hijacked by some who throw eggs and flour at houses, vehicles and people. This is not only frightening for the victims but could also risk lives, for example if an egg smashes on a windscreen and blocks a driver’s vision. We have even had reports of people throwing fireworks through doorways with no thought of the potentially horrific consequences.
“If these people refuse to show consideration for others and are warned more than once they will be arrested.”
He added:
“We don’t want to spoil things for people who want to have some fun without alarming or distressing others, but we won’t tolerate anti-social behaviour.”
Last year Surrey Police received as many 999 calls countywide in just 8 hours that were specifically Halloween related as the force would normally receive in 24 hours.
On East Surrey hotspots included the Preston estate at Tadworth, Leatherhead, Dorking, Redhill and Horley. In 6 hours between 6pm and midnight around 30 calls were received about a range of incidents. This obviously considerably stretched policing resources.
Extra patrols of police officers will be out on Friday evening (31st October) particularly in those areas which have previously had problems.
Surrey Police is asking responsible retailers to double check if they see someone just buying eggs or flour. Parents are also being asked to take responsibility for what their children are up to for the evening, and perhaps accompany them wherever possible.
For further information please contact the Divisional Press and Publicity Officer for East Surrey
E-mail: 8688@surrey.pnn.police.uk
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