Police say Operation Beech doesn't aim to criminalise young people
The police have spoken publicly about Operation Beech, a trial in which the University of Bristol is paying for extra patrols to deal with student noise.
Insp. Lorna Dallimore is quoted by the student newspaper Epigram as saying: "When officers come across a noisy party or any associated anti-social behaviour, they will attempt to resolve the issue without taking further steps.
"We are not looking to criminalise young people or to stop them having fun, we are just reminding them to be respectful of other members of the community who they live alongside.
During the trial, extra police are on duty from 8pm to 2am for a total of eight nights, ending on 15 June. Residents are told to text (07773 816248) if they are disturbed by parties or other student noise. The trial is limited to the Chandos area and other noise hotspots in Redland and Cotham. See details here.
According to Epigram, Insp. Dallimore, who is in charge of local beat police, also said: "Most students are usually very obliging when asked to turn music down, and we hope that our increased presence in the area ... will have a positive effect.
"Noise-related ASB [anti-social behaviour] is usually a matter dealt with by the council, but as most of the complaints are coming through at night, it was felt that we were best placed to be the first point of contact for these issues."
A university spokesperson is quoted as saying the areas chosen for Operation Beech are ones that "consistently see a disproportionate level of student-related noise disturbance and anti-social house parties.
"We take great pride in the value our students bring to the community, but also recognise the impact of high-density student populations in local residential areas, especially if they make noise during the night.
"The university takes very seriously its responsibility to be a good neighbour and manage the impact of our students on the community. We acknowledge that public services are stretched, so where our students are causing distress to local residents, we should contribute to resourcing that management.
"Any students who are found to be making excessive noise that causes inconvenience to local residents could face appropriate action from the police or Bristol City Council’s Neighbourhood Enforcement Team as would any other private citizen. They could also be disciplined under student disciplinary rules and procedures."
Diana Swain, chair of Chandos Neighbourhood Association, which led calls for a better response to student noise, is also quoted in the article.