Clubbers to get police text alerts while on a night out (From Swindon Advertiser)

Clubbers to get police text alerts while on a night out

9:50am Saturday 3rd April 2010 in News

CLUBBERS in Swindon will soon be getting text alerts sent to their mobile phones when on nights out to stay out of trouble or face fines.

The scheme, which will launch tonight, is managed by the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) and will beam safety tips to revellers through Bluetooth enabled mobile phones.

But clubbers have reacted angrily to the news and said they don’t need negative messages on a night out.

The devices will be activated at various locations over the coming months to highlight key safety campaigns via brief text and picture messages and will be launched at Liquid and Envy tonight.

This weekend’s message will give a gentle warning to people out and about in the town centre after dark to respect others as they head home, reminding them that getting arrested for being drunk and disorderly will add an extra £80 to their night out – in the shape of a fixed penalty fine.

The devices can send out messages within a maximum 100 metre radius, and are mobile – they can be carried by a police officer or police car, or sited at a suitable venue.

Cheri Wright, anti-social behaviour manager for the CSP, said: “Bluetooth is a great, cost-effective way to reach lots of people with relevant bite-size community safety messages.

“People need to be reassured it won’t be overused – it will be used selectively to support key awareness campaigns.

“We won’t be sending the same message to the same mobile phone within a set time frame, except when necessary, and people can opt to decline messages, although we’d urge them to pick up the free advice.”

Mobile phone and personal digital assistant (PDA) users will be able to choose to accept or decline messages. If they decline, the device will remember this and the CSP won’t contact them again via Bluetooth.

Detective Sergeant Jim Taylor from Swindon Police said: “We will be working with our partners to use Bluetooth for various community safety purposes – warning about the consequences of excess alcohol consumption and anti-social behaviour, or appealing for witnesses in a particular area, for example.

“The bulletins will be free, so I’d urge people to pick them up if they have Bluetooth – the advice could help prevent them from becoming a victim of crime, or make them think again about the repercussions of behaving in a risky way.”

The scheme has not attracted much praise from young clubbers in the town.

Darren Walker, 25, from Old Town, said: “This is ludicrous. They don’t know the first thing about the people they are texting.

“I think this is an invasion of privacy and, although you can delete the message, it will still put a dampener on your night out.”

Melissa Jenkins, 23, from Toothill, said: “This sounds like a major waste of money.

“When people go out and get drunk they are not even in a fit state to heed the warning of the message. Another Big Brother scheme I am afraid.”

Luke Massai, 26, from Wroughton, said: “I can see what they are trying to do but this won’t work.

“They are going to get a backlash over this and I think it will cause more trouble than it is worth.”

Louise Bond, 23, from Grange Park, said: “I don’t really tend to read my text messages when on a night out until I get home.

“I think it could work with some people, but I think most people know the consequences and don’t really need reminding on a night out.”