Police to work with parish on Church Square problems
GUERNSEY Police has agreed to work with the St Peter Port constables in an effort to resolve the problem of antisocial behaviour in Church Square.
A meeting between the constables and police representatives took place on Monday, with St Peter Port constable Zoe Lihou voicing concerns about cycling, littering and cigarette butts in the Town area generally, but also the possibility of having Church Square made an alcohol-free zone.
Two weeks ago Mrs Lihou ordered the benches in the square to be removed following complaints about the antisocial behaviour of some of the people who use them regularly.
The issue was also raised at last weekend’s parish drop-in, which was attended by St Peter Port community police officer Mark Shields, who was also present at the meeting with the constables.
‘It was nice to meet people and get the conversation going and to understand that he is on the team,’ said Mrs Lihou.
‘We just went over all of people’s concerns about antisocial behaviour.
‘We had a very open conversation, very informal, and started the ball rolling.’
Information about the regular users of the seating in the square was discussed.
‘They were offered another place [to sit] years ago but refused,’ she said.
This was to have benches near the petanque pitches overlooking the QEII Marina.
‘They want to be in the middle of Town. The difficulty is the behaviour they exhibit on some occasions that’s caused our parishioners to complain about it.’
All the parish could do at this point was to move it away from the area.
‘We’re not health care professionals. A number of individuals have been offered help in the past, but they choose to live this way.’
It would be up to the police to prepare a report assessing the situation for the Committee for Home Affairs and Mrs Lihou said the law enforcement representatives had gone away to consider a next move.
‘Guernsey Police is working with the St Peter Port constables and supporting them as they take action to try to address the situation,’ said a spokesman.
Reaction to the removal of the benches almost two weeks ago has been mixed, with some strongly in support and others critical, saying that the parish had just moved the problem somewhere else.
