PARENTS, grandparents and carers in York have been urged to take responsibility for young people causing problems in the city.

Superintendent Adam Thomson is North Yorkshire Police’s Neighbourhood Policing Commander for York and Selby, and his comments follow days of antisocial behaviour in the Chapelfields area of York.

He said parents and guardians should help tackle antisocial behaviour and low-level crime over the school holidays, and while he remembered the appeal of summer holidays and the feeling of being young, there was no excuse for misbehaviour.

Supt Thomson said: "Holidays by the sea or caravanning in the countryside, and playing out with your mates for hours on end. Yes, it’s all a bit of a cliché, but that’s how many of us fondly remember it. Then, all of sudden, those awkward ‘Kevin the Teenager’ years kick-in with a vengeance, when you don’t necessarily want to be hanging around with your mum or dad or grandparents, especially when you have so much free time on your hands.

"Instead, there is the urge to gather in large groups at local meet-up places and generally push the boundaries. This could involve drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, experimenting with drugs and discovering sex. For a troublesome minority, this also includes committing antisocial behaviour and low-level crime. Let’s be absolutely honest here: this type of behaviour was as much a factor in our youth as it is for today’s teenagers."

Supt Thomson said there would always be a small minority of individuals in any group "who go too far", but while he did not condone or excuse the behaviour he said it was "a reality that communities have had to deal with for generations".

He said: "When I say ‘communities’, within that I include the police and local authorities as the primary agencies who address such issues when things spill over into aggressive, intimidating or destructive behaviour. When concerned residents and business owners report such incidents to the police or the council, make no mistake that we take appropriate and decisive action to protect people’s quality of life."

This summer, Operation Liberate has run to tackle antisocial behaviour, and Operation Confiscate has targeted youths using mopeds and mini-motos. The recent problems in Chapelfields, which have seen gangs of youths putting fireworks into private homes, and misbehaving in the streets, has led both operations to be extended to the west of the city.

He said: "The aim of our approach is to work with communities to solve such problems, not to criminalise young people. Also within communities are the parents, grandparents and guardians of the young people involved in such anti-social or criminal incidents. Or, at the very least, of those who were not directly involved but were present at the time.

"While the police and our partners will continue to do our job to keep our city safe, I strongly urge parents, grandparents and guardians to take a closer interest in what their teenagers are getting up to during the school holidays and beyond. Responsibility in dealing with such issues lies as much with them as it does with us, so please do all you can warn young people against getting involved in antisocial behaviour or criminal activity. As I’m sure you’ll agree, the last thing a young person needs when they go back to school or college in September is a criminal record."

Antisocial behaviour can be reported to police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.