Operation Beacon

1
Operation Beacon

• Multi agency approach to unsupervised vulnerable
  children in Harrogate Town Centre

2
The Background
3
October 2007

• Private party at local nightclub
• 200 children expected
• Uninvited guests arrived in drink
• Premises shut down event and refused entry to
  children

4
October 2007

• Consequences
• 200 children ran through the town centre
  intoxicated
• Children trying to gain access to licensed
  premises
• One child was involved in a violent incident
  door supervisors called the ambulance

5
December 2007

• Another local club started Lush Clubbing nights
• 500 to 600 children expected
• Children arriving in drink
• Stashing alcohol around town

6
December 2007

• Consequences
• Children taken to hospital by ambulance due to
  excess consumption of alcohol
• Venue refusing entry to drunk children
• Intoxicated children unsupervised in the town
  centre
• Police attended

7
December 2007

• Hotel hosted a schools end of year ball
• Children arrived in drink
• Damage to hotel and nuisance to other guests
• Hotel shut down event an hour early

8
December 2007

• Consequences
• 150 children tried to gain access to a licensed
  premises
• They overpowered staff at the entrance

9
Working Party

• North Yorkshire Police
• Community Safety Partnership
• Licensing
• Licensed Premises
• Salvation Armys Town Pastors

10
Operational Order

• Mobile Police Office near venue
• St Johns Ambulance
• Alcoquant
• Re-allocation of existing Police resources to
  town centre
• Repatriation of children to their parents

11
Updated Order

• Inclusion of Ripon and Knaresborough Police
  Officers
• No 36 Party Bus
• Improved recording on MPO

12
The Results
13
First event - January 08

• 600 children attended
• 2 children returned home 1 taken into custody
• Alcoquant not used
• Children chose not to attend event
• Alcohol confiscated and thrown away

14
Second event February 08

• 600 children attended
• 20 children came to notice
• 15 children repatriated to parents
• Approx 30 of children breathalysed
• Highest breath test 66 µg /100ml by 12 year old

15
Third event February 08

• 650 children attended
• Alcoquant used by premises manager
• 8 children came to notice
• 5 children repatriated
• Children did not appear to be stashing alcohol

16
March to May 08

• Venue moved to Carringtons in April
• Numbers steadily declining
• Average of 4 children per event repatriated
• Highest Alcoquant reading 103 µg/100ml

17
Latest events June, July

• No children returned home
• Use of St Johns scaled back
• MPO no longer used
• Extra policing during queuing and dispersal

18
What Worked?

• Identification of hot spots
• No 36 bus
• Valley Gardens
• Zero tolerance of drunkenness
• Alcoquant
• Refused entry to venue
• Return to parents

19
The Future

• Operational Order scalable for smaller events
• Has been used successfully for school Balls
• Can be used for other under 18 events
• Gives a standard procedure for dealing with young
  persons found in drink

20
Contacts

• Sgt Rob Thorpe
• North Yorkshire Police
• robert.thorpe_at_northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk
• Sue Holden
• Harrogate Borough Council
• susan.holden_at_harrogate.gov.uk