On Friday (June 14), large numbers of young people descended on the beaches of North Tyneside, between King Edward’s Bay and Longsands Beach in Tynemouth.
As part of the yearly activity to tackle anti-social behaviour around the coastline, officers from our Community Protection Team were deployed under Operation Coastwatch working alongside our Northumbria Police colleagues to regularly patrol along the beaches.
Together, they seized – or poured out – a large quantity of alcohol being consumed by suspected underage teens.
Several dispersal orders were issued to prevent any disorder and individuals known to police were not granted access onto the beaches.
Police arrested two youngsters who have since been referred to the youth offending team.
Leading Operation Coastwatch activity is Neighbourhood Inspector for the area, Michael Hood, of Northumbria Police, who wants to reassure residents and those visiting the area that any disorder will be swiftly dealt with.
He said: “I want to offer my thanks to the overwhelming majority of people of all ages who come to the award-winning beaches of North Tyneside and treat them, and everyone else, with respect and kindness.
“I hope this shows the community of Tynemouth and the wider region how committed we are to tackling pockets of disorder, as well as demonstrating the preventive measures we can use to keep our communities safe so no incidents have the chance to occur.
“It’s only together that we can make sure they continue to be a fantastic place to live, work and visit.”
Insp Hood added: “We know that as the summer comes in, so does the temptation for youngsters to partake in underage drinking, especially when exams end, or towards the end of term.
“Seizing alcohol from our beaches is just one facet of the work we do to combat this issue.
“We work closely with our partners at Trading Standards to ensure that local off-licences and shops are operating within the law by not selling alcohol to underage adolescents.
“Last month, we conducted an operation with our cadets which identified five premises which were doing just that – which were subsequently reported for enforcement action.
“Our successful multi-agency Operation Coastwatch will continue to run throughout the summer, with dedicated resources from police, North Tyneside Council and Nexus available to deter and address disorder of any kind.”
Sam Dand, Director of Environment at North Tyneside Council, said: “We are pleased to have been part of a successful weekend of activities at the coast as part of Operation Coastwatch.
“Despite the large number of students gathering, the situation was managed effectively by the police, with the support of our officers.
“While there were some minor incidents, most students behaved responsibly and came to celebrate.
“We are grateful for the positive feedback from the public, and it’s encouraging to see teams working together to address these challenges swiftly and thoughtfully.
“We will continue to collaborate with our partners to ensure the safe and responsible enjoyment of our coastal areas.”
