English to Portuguese Law/Patents Law (general) Police work

Dispersal notices are intended to protect you and your family and to make the area you live in a safer place for everyone. In areas with a dispersal notice, police and community support officers have the power to disperse groups where their presence or behaviour has resulted, or is likely to result, in a member of the public being harassed, intimidated, alarmed or distressed. The individuals can then be excluded from a specific area for up to 24 hours.

Young people under the age of 16 found in a dispersal area after 9pm and who are not accompanied by a responsible adult may be taken home by a uniformed police officer or community support officer if they are involved in, or at risk from, anti-social behaviour. Before an officer takes any action he must consider other things, such as the circumstance of the child.