Training for park wardens in blitz on park yobs

Police support officers and park wardens are to get extra training in an effort to clamp down on anti-social behaviour in parks across Cannock Chase district.

The move has already been brought in in Cannock Park after residents living nearby complained about gangs of up to 20 youths hanging around causing trouble. It will now be widened to cover other areas. A training day is poised to take place next month where all of the area's park wardens and PCSOs will be briefed on how to deal with troublemakers.

Councillor for Cannock south Maureen Freeman said the news would bring relief to thousands of residents across the district.

Police, councillors, and around eight park wardens – who work in Hednesford Park, Elmore Park, Brereton Park and Cannock Park – will be meeting for the training day at Cannock Chase Council's headquarters on October 3.

Councillor Freeman said: "It will affect parks across the whole district and I am pleased to say it is the first time that we can say we are truly being listened to about this.

"We can't allow anti-social behaviour to continue. Parks are for everyone to use, for free, across the district."

Cannock south's councillor John Kraujalis also welcomed the news.

He said: "They will be given guidance on how to deal with a variety of situations and incidents, making it clear where staff, working at the park stand, making it a more streamlined procedure."

Chief Inspector Carl Ratcliffe, of Cannock Police's policing team commander, said it will provide wardens with reassurances.

He said: "We want park wardens to know how they should deal with certain individuals. We want to put out a range of different scenarios to them and show them how they should deal with it."

In Cannock Park, which lies between Old Penkridge Road and the A34 Stafford Road, there have been 22 incidents of anti-social behaviour and seven reported crimes since the start of the year.