Ards Policing and Community Safety Partnership are funding an 18 week Youth Engagement Patrol in towns and villages on the East Coast of the Ards Peninsula where anti-social behaviour is becoming an increasing issue.

The project is being piloted by Ards Borough Council’s Safer Ards team and is focussing on reaching out to young people between the ages of 8-18 years not easily engaged by normal youth diversion activities.

The project aims to discourage anti-social behaviour in these hotspots on the Peninsula, to reduce the fear of crime, provide reassurance to the community and to offer opportunities for early intervention with vulnerable and hard to reach young people.

The Project Co-ordinator, Colin Reid from Safer Ards, hopes this increased presence on the streets will help provide reassurance to the community that every effort is being made to tackle the problems of youths causing annoyance:

“The new Youth Engagement Patrol will deliver a highly visible presence every Friday and Saturday night across Donaghadee, Millisle, Ballywalter and Ballyhalbert. At present 95% of the reports made to the Safer Ards team about anti-social behaviour across the Ards borough, are perceived by the caller to be linked to young people.

The team will work to reduce potential fear of crime and also to empower young people through engagement and guidance to divert them from the Criminal Justice System.”

The scheme will operate until the end of March 2015 every Friday from 5pm to 11pm and every Saturday from 3pm until 11pm.  If you wish to report any issues in your area contact the Safer Ards reporting line on 028 9182 4044.

Colin Reid (pictured) from Safer Ards meets new Youth Engagement Patrol Officers Arnie Cathcart and John McLernon in Millisle.