they’ve been doing it for years, usually in areas of town where its “known for drug use”.

the only new thing is that they either give a reason or give you a bit of paper afterwards to explain what happened, and they are supposed to monitor how many non-white people they stop.

I’m Asian but I don’t have a beard (don’t want one, would make me look old) and look more “Oriental” than “South Asian”, and being older I tend not to hang around on streets any more which is why I don’t get stopped as often as I used to

But at the height of the “political correctness” (before the terrorism) I’ve had a copper shine a torch in my face, take a good look at me, and radio my description as “IC1″ (White Male”) :laugh_at:just so it didn’t look “bad” on his records (ironically had I actually been wanted for anything the incorrect description would have meant I would have got away with it!)

I think its called a Section 60 order and is part of CJA 1994 (similar to the law used to close down raves). There’s another similar law they can use under the Anti Social Behaviour act 2003 (“dispersal order”)

It tends to get used in certain areas around summer time after the neighbours have moaned about youths/druggies “hanging around”, and its reach is usually only limited to certain streets.

I found this on SYP’s website as part of a “New Year Podcast”

Although it doesn’t refer to the law being put in place, it shows that the area is already known as a “key hot spot” area so its liable to always have such measures implemented, particularly at holiday seasons and “summer” (not that we are having much of one!)

may have just been a fishing expedition to see what was out there?

indeed, wouldn’t have been the same op but shows that the legal framework is there to lock down the area (i.e it has been tried and tested).

These were plain clothes and the warrant was specifically for drugs. Weird.[/quote]

I’ve encountered this before at the height of the rave scene in Reading.

Usually means that casual/recreational drug use has picked up in the town and as Raj said its a “fishing expedition” to get ideas of how many people are likely to be carrying drugs.

hmm – maybe its because more clubber types are seeking out alternative venues after Crasher One burned, thus driving pillheads into other more unfamiliar areas?

yeah that seems quite likely. The clubs/bars are really heavily nannied/policed these days, where I live any club which does anything dance music related automatically gets checked out by the OB..