Forums Forums Local News Water Cannon to Stop People Urinating on Streets

Police to use water cannon to stop people urinating on streets during nights out in Liverpool



POLICE will patrol the city centre armed with water jets and cleaning gear this weekend to crack down on people urinating in the streets.

Special officers will be out in force tonight and tomorrow night telling people to clean up their own mess.

They will be equipped with a “water bowser”, which has water jets and cleaning equipment.

Anyone caught urinating in the street will be stopped and asked to clean it up. If they refuse, they can be fined.

The idea is part of a new Merseyside police approach to tackling the problem, which is said to be an issue in Lord Street and Church Street as people travel between bars on opposite ends of the city centre.

Police said the scheme was tested in other parts of the country and proved successful.

It will run for the next three weekends on a trial basis to see how it progresses.

Urinating in the street is treated as anti-social behaviour and police said they want to provide “immediate restorative justice” to those caught.

Officers also said they hope it will deter other people from urinating in public places.

Chief Inspector Louise Harrison said: “We understand people want to go and enjoy a few drinks on a Friday and Saturday night, but there is no excuse for urinating in public places.

“We have found the problem areas are Lord Street and Church Street, often as people walk from bar to bar.

“We work closely with our partners in the Business Improvement District, who work hard to keep their premises clean and are keen to support environment services.

“Not only is urinating in public unsightly, it also causes issues for shops, residents and other businesses in the area.

“They should not have to clean up other people’s mess the following morning.

“This scheme was trialled with great success in other forces across the country and our Special Constabulary will be travelling around the city in a police carrier with a clearly marked water bowser attached to the back of it.

“Anyone caught will be asked to clean up there and then or face a fine.”

Police said by forcing people to clean up their mess, they hope it will force them to think about the trouble it causes for business and residents who normally have to do it.

Chief Inspector Harrison said: “We want people who live, work and visit the city to all be able to enjoy it.

“We hope this will be a valuable tool to help stop anti-social behaviour in our city.”

THE ECHO

I could see the point of having a water-cannon on the back of the plodcar if they were going to fire it at anyone they caught having a slash in the street, and blowing them across the road, prior to giving them an on- the- spot fine, for being dirty gits with gill bladders.

That's the way I read it too!

They do this in other area's of the country; from what I understand, it does little to deter people from doing it (indeed it actually entices them because they know they wont get fined for it) but it does mean it is cleaned up.

When I read the title I only saw "Water Cannon to Stop P" and only looked to see where there was a local protest lol.

Liverpool centre does need more public toilets though, I think there's about four next to the bus gyratory.

Hahahaha soooooooooooo funny.. Talk about wasting tax money!!! On something that can be sorted.. Use the money to build more public toilets.. Enough said ??

Yeah, and I was thinking if that is what they do to you while havin a wazz you might as well finish what you started

My mate was arrested for urinating in the street. Literally, he was running down Ranelagh St outside Central Station with his fellow out while urinating. The police didn't take him to the cells, instead chose to drive around for an hour with him in the back, and then drop him off in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately, they dropped him off at the top of his road!