HOW to report anti-social behaviour (ASB) without photographing young people and an incident involving smashed windows were some of the updates provided to Gillingham Town Council by police.

During the town council meeting Monday night, PSCO Nicky Fear of Dorset Police provided both councillors and the public with information on the latest findings from the authority.

She said that despite there not being a lot of ASB during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, Bay Fields had recently become “a hotspot”.

As a result police are working with outreach project Rendezvous, and following reports officers are engaging with children, residents and informants.

PCSO Fear added: “Kids [are] hanging around because they’ve been cooped up for so long, they wanted to be out and we can’t blame them for that.”

She said that ASB levels had appeared to become “extreme” due to the way the cases were reported, adding “the correct way of reporting things would have got a better response and a more timely response”.

Residents have therefore been reminded to raise concerns with the police and not the town council.

Residents have also been reminded not to photograph children as evidence of ASB.

“If you’re an adult you should actually know better than going around photographing kids,” PCSO Fear added.

It was also heard that a “profusely apologetic” man was arrested for smashing a window and counts of criminal damage. The offender could be identified from the town’s CCTV system.

Other points raised during the meeting included the low drug problem for the town, and how police are dealing with the new ‘Rule of Six’.