Dispersal order put in place in Chester to keep visitors and residents safe over Christmas

Ahead of a bustling Christmas weekend, Chester police have taken proactive steps to ensure public safety in the city centre.

Starting from 4 pm today, a dispersal order will be in effect until 4 pm on Christmas Eve, as part of a comprehensive strategy to manage the expected increase in footfall.

Additional patrols are being deployed to help keep everyone safe.

To support this, a dispersal order will be in place from 4 pm today (Friday 22 December), until 4 pm on Sunday 24 December.

The dispersal order will allow officers to ban anyone from the area for up to 48 hours to prevent disorder.

It has been imposed under Section 34 of the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, making it an offence for anyone to return to a specific area for up to 48 hours.

The area covered by the order is highlighted in the map attached. The map is also provided to anyone issued with a direction to leave.

Inspector James Wilson said:

“The run-up to Christmas is always an incredibly busy time of year for everyone in Chester, as people visit the city to enjoy the festivities, meet friends and family, and organise any last-minute Christmas shopping.

“Due to the increased footfall we’re expecting to see this weekend, there will be an increased police presence across the city centre along with a dispersal order that will be put in place to keep everyone safe.

“The order will allow our officers to have another tactical option to combat any anti-social behaviour, which may take robust action against individuals who are causing trouble.

“I would also continue to urge residents and businesses to report any issues so we can take action.”

Anyone with information about anti-social behaviour in their area is urged to contact Cheshire Police via the Cheshire Police website or call 101.