Police are using banning orders to stop some of the most prolific shoplifters and drug addicts from stepping foot in the city centre.
Operation Compass, made up of plain clothed and uniformed officers, have already successfully taken out five recent Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs).
This prevents individuals from entering the city centre for up to three years to commit crime and cause harassment, alarm, and distress to law-abiding members of the public.
Police say that if they break the order, they will take immediate action and place them before the courts.
Officers believe this is a “long-term problem-solving solution” to protecting businesses and the public from those who continuously come into the city to commit crime.
Sergeant Jonathan Pothecary, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: “If you limit where someone can go by denying them access to their known associates and the shops and facilities in the city centre, then there criminal activity is going to be severely disrupted.
“These banning orders are perfect for reducing crime and making Nottingham a more desirable city for those who live, work, and visit here.
“It is not just about enforcement but engagement. We want to ensure they still have access to facilities such as the Job Centre and other support services.
“We have had some good results where some of our known offenders have accessed support for their drug addiction because the alternative is you can no longer come into the city centre.”
Sgt Pothecary says there is already seven pending CBOs, with more in the pipeline.
So far, the CBOs have been handed out to those responsible for prolific begging, thefts, drug possession and anti-social behaviour.
Sgt Pothecary added: “Begging is a big issue in Nottingham, and I’d like to encourage the public not to hand money to beggars.
“Around 90 percent of those who beg in the city centre have accommodation and are using begging to fund their drug habit. Most of the remaining have been offered accommodation but have refused.
“This, in turn, lines the pockets of those making money from drug dealing and funds the sale of mamba, crack cocaine and heroin.
“Every time we stop a beggar with drugs we will try and signpost them to support services. We want them to get the help they need so they no longer rely on committing crime to fund their addiction.
“But if they continue to commit crime then they can expect to find themselves banned from the city centre. One offender had been convicted for over 240 thefts. Despite our team constantly stopping and searching him location stolen property on him, he would be back on the streets and doing the same again.
“Putting a banning order on him now means that those businesses no longer suffer from his actions. This is a long-term problem-solving solution, and we are starting to see results.
“Most of these offenders won’t break their CBO because they know my team are out every day looking for those who cause the most harm to our city centre.
“We encounter the same faces. We know their associates. With summer approaching, we want Nottingham to be a place that people enjoy visiting and this is just one of many ways we can ensure our city is kept safe.”
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