Bonfire night and the law

The Halloween and firework season is a fun and exciting time.

However, the actions of a small minority can cause upset within the community. This is called anti-social behaviour or ASB for short.

We are committed to fighting and reducing this behaviour through a number of methods including:

• Organising, taking part in and publicising activities for young people to do throughout the period
• Increasing the amount of officers on patrol
• Directing officers to where they are needed most
• Taking action against people who break the law, whatever their age
• Working with our partners and communities to combat illegal sales of firework

Reporting ASB to the police

Public safety is our primary concern, but as the number of ASB incidents increase, so do the calls for service that we receive.

We want to provide the best service we can so this year, we have increased the amount of people answering your calls.

However, to assist us as much as possible, we ask that if you do need to call the police, please think about the following:

• If you need to contact us, please call us on 101.  Only dial 999 in an emergency
• Please be patient when calling – we will answer your call as soon as possible
• Incidents will be dealt with in order of priority
• An officer will deal with your incident as soon as possible, but it may not be as quickly as on a normal night
• Our patrols will be with you as soon as possible – please don’t call us back to ask when they will arrive
• If you have already called to report an incident, don’t call back unless the circumstances have changed or the situation has become more serious. We understand that these incidents may make you feel frightened or angry, but please be assured that we are working as hard as possible to resolve problems at this exceptionally busy time

The Firework Code

• Only buy fireworks that meet BS7114 and always buy from a recommended retailer
• Keep fireworks in a closed box
• Follow the specific instructions on each firework
• Light fireworks at arms length using a taper, never a naked flame
• Stand well back
• Never go back to a firework once it’s lit
• Never put fireworks in your pocket
• Never throw fireworks
• Always light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves to hold them
• Never give sparklers to a child under five
• If you are using sparklers, have a bucket of water nearby. When sparklers have gone out they should be put in the water. Water can also be used for immediate first aid treatment for burns to the hand