Violent attacks prompt dispersal order in West Bromwich
Police have issued a dispersal order on a Black Country town centre following two violent attacks, including one where a man was hit with a hammer.
Officers will be patrolling West Bromwich town centre to enforce the new powers, which came into effect at 9am on Monday morning and runs for 48 hours.
The powers will allow officers to order someone who is behaving in an anti-social way to leave the area and not return for up to 48 hours.
It follows two violent attacks in the area.
The first involved a group trying to steal a bag from their victim, while in the second a young man was injured when he was attacked with a hammer.
A Sandwell Police spokesman said: "We are using extra powers to keep people safe in Sandwell after a number of violent incidents in the town centre.
"We are using dispersal powers, which came into effect at 9am on Monday and will run for 48 hours, in the area shown in the map.
"It means officers can order someone who is behaving, or is likely to behave, in an anti-social way to leave the area and not return for up to 48 hours. Anyone who fails to follow the order commits a criminal offence.
"The powers have been introduced in the wake of two violent attacks. On September 7, a group tried to steal a bag from a victim.
"And on 15 September, a young man was injured when he was attacked with a hammer.
"We’ll have officers out in the area to enforce the new powers."
