Hartham - kids - substance abuse. Where are the authorities?

[Ewoowar]

21:30 ('ish) on a Saturday evening. The skate bowl has a bunch of what looked like 15 year olds inhaling something from bags. the next group down, in the play area seem to be just sitting there. The third group of kids are smoking dope.

I don't understand it. The place is covered by cameras. And surely the police can do something about it.

[Joe]

The cameras belong to EHDC but are under a partnership with other DC and overseen, if not mistaken, by Stevenage Borough Council.
Maybe the cameras where down, or maybe there are no staff to monitor them at weekends. though they claim to be monitored 24 hrs a day.

http://www.eastherts.gov.uk/index.jsp?articleid=10454" target="_blank

http://www.stevenage.gov.uk/about-stevenage/cctv/37916/" target="_blank

[Kateg28]

My son (16) sometimes hangs about round there with his friends but assures me he is not into anything. I tend to believe him as he is passionate about his sport and wants to get somewhere with it and knows that substance abuse or any narcotics will kill that opportunity dead.

He wasn't there this Saturday though, he was at home with me, doing his homework .

I will have a chat to him about what is going on there and what his friends are doing down there as peer pressure is a powerful thing.

[Joby]

I don't understand it. The place is covered by cameras. And surely the police can do something about it.

Did you contact the police? It would be pretty difficult to identify someone smoking dope on CCTV, so the police would probably be unaware unless someone reported it.

[Golden]

Its been going on for ages - when I used to take my kids to the small park after swimming lessons the evidence was obvious. The council obviously know about it as they do clean any debris up fairly quickly in the mornings. I have also seen deals taking place on the bridges by Dicker Mill - I probably only use that route about twice a week so there must be a lot happening if I've seen it more than once and would be an easy place to catch the dealers who are targeting children in this area; its also less than 100 yards from where the kid died a few years ago.

Maybe the authorities consider it better to have the kids in one place where they at least can keep an eye on them??

[Joe]

Maybe some video evidence of whats going on might help police.

I use this app. on my phone when ever I travel long distances. Basically converts the phone into a dash cam.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... uard&hl=en" target="_blank

[Ewoowar]

Golden.......so not a coincidence what I saw on that bridge yesterday evening.

I noted the two characters looked unsavoury and somewhat out of place. The person I was with knew one of them 'has history'.

[Robbo]

The PCSO's should get down there and take a look.

[Golden]

Ewoowar - no I think it must be a regular spot as you've just confirmed what I've witnessed in the area on 3-4 occasions and I don't even use the route daily. As I said in my previous post maybe the authorities settle for this as at least they can watch what is going on and it is a relatively safe place.

A lot of kids congregate on Hartham and the vast majority are there to chat with their mates and get out of the house, play sports, etc. - in summer its a great place for them to hang out and play - but inevitably this also brings along the alcohol and drugs (lets face it alcohol is the most anti-social and the biggest killer) for some of the kids. Mine tell me that Hartham is fairly well 'unofficially' sectioned off into year groups and social groups so its all about trusting your kids and their mates. I wouldn't want mine drinking over there under age as there is no control and it makes them vulnerable to society's 'predators' but allow them to have booze at home for their 'gatherings' as otherwise they will find a way and that way may possibly be Hartham. In my teenage years there were plenty of pubs in Hertford that would let me in to drink in a safe and controlled environment - but that's no longer an option for many teenagers with the price of pub drinks and the ID requirements/over 21s rules.

Kate you wait until you get the request for Reading tickets at the end of the GCSEs and plans to go to various summer destinations when they turn 18 after A levels! As horrifying as it sounds, and is, these trips are part of the passage and if your kids go with the right groups you'll find out how they actually use the bonds they form at places like Hartham to look out for each other in these hell holes and from what I've heard the Hertford tours (50+ kids from local schools every July) to the favourite destination of 'Napa' seem to go quite well

[dutch knight]

The PCSO's should get down there and take a look.

From what I am told and have seen(occasionally) the PCSOs do make regular visits through Hartham,both during the day and in the evenings. Police officers also patrol through Hartham as well quite frequently,but they can't be there 24/7.
Also,there used to be some people,who checked up on the kids,warning them of the dangers of substance abuse and alcohol,and offering them alternative pastimes to take up ,like football,and different sports.