Children playing in Warndon Villages sparks 'aggressive' police letter

The letters from West Mercia Police concern alleged anti-social behaviour in Dockeray Avenue, Watchetts Green and Thackholme in Warndon Villages, Worcester.

However, one dad shared his concerns about the tone of the letter on the Warndon Villages Community Group, a private Facebook group with 4,000 members.

Speaking to the Worcester News, the father, who asked not to be named, called the police letters 'aggressive' and said many of the children being referred to were 'under 10'. He also referred to the negative impact of young people being glued to phones, tablets and consoles rather than playing outside.

The police letter says: "As you will understand anti-social behaviour cannot be accepted. The community has made this quite clear and the Government has responded with powerful legislation which has dramatic effects on the individual offenders."

READ MORE: Graffiti covers Worcester footbridge - and it's getting worse

READ MORE: Heartbreak as disabled woman is among those to get marching orders from city caravan park 

The letter continues: "This behaviour has taken the form of ball games in the street, the use of E-Scooters, which are not road legal apart from designated trial areas which Worcester is not and children in the road causing cars to swerve to avoid an accident."

The dad said his young children did not have an e-scooter and did not play ball games in the road but he believes they are the only family living in one of the streets (Watchetts Green) mentioned in the letter. He stressed that police had since been 'extremely understanding' after he had spoken to them.

He said: "We live around the corner from a cul-de-sac full of loads of children who regularly play outside. It's both lovely and quite rare to see now. We've always encouraged our children to play outside, like we used to, and take all the health, social and mental benefits that come with it."

He believes complaints were made by a single couple.

"Children are growing up not to consider the police there to protect them, but keeping an eye ready to punish them," he said.

"But the actions of shouting at children or calling police when you see them is causing them to further pull back from any community feeling themselves, and I think that's harmful to everybody," he wrote.

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said in response:  "The letter refers to specific concerns raised by residents of Dockeray Avenue in Warndon Villages, these related to numerous reports of anti-social behaviour by a group of unnamed local young people.

It aimed to bring to the attention of parents the complaints that had been raised so that they could discuss with their children the safety implications of playing in the road and how particular behaviours could be seen as distressing to other residents.

"We continue to work with the local community on issues that are important to them. We have recently heard from some who had initially expressed concerns and they confirm that the original anti-social behaviour has since ceased.

"We invite the community to speak to us about concerns they have; they can do this via the normal police reporting channels as well as at our regular Police And Community Together meetings."

Cllr Andy Roberts, a Warndon city and county councillor, praised the work of the detached youth team from Worcester City Council.

Cllr Roberts also spoke of the strong relationship and ‘tremendous rapport’ between police, the youth team and the community which was focused on providing solutions.

“The last thing police want to do is offend people. It seems like a bit of a mix-up in the messages there.

"I know from speaking to the youth team and from the local policing team – that’s not their normal approach. Their normal approach is, where they can, to find a solution. Certainly they don’t want to criminalise young people,” he said.