Police use sweeties to silence late-night student noise

Police have organised funding to buy 10,000 sweeties which officers will keep with their radios and hi-viz vests to give to students as they weave their way home from late nights out. The idea has been tried in a limited fashion elsewhere, but this time, in the centre of Durham, it has the added sophistication of messages on each sweet, in the style of seaside rock.

They tell their consumers 'Quiet, please' and 'Shush.' They are going to be handed out in any instances where officers feel that the young people might be going to make a noise and disturb local people asleep in their homes. Durham is famous for its number of students and also for hills and large, ancient buildings which amplify street noise when it does occur.



The sweetie handout follows complaints since the beginning of the current academic year about too much exuberant celebration going on. Insp Paul Anderson, of Durham Police says: The idea of handing out sweets or lollipops at the end of the night has been done in other areas, but we think Durham is the first to include a message aimed at those who might otherwise make a racket.

Late night noise is a genuine issue for a number of our residents and we hope that this initiative will make a difference. It also provides another way for our officers to engage with students and other revellers. Funding for the sweets came from Durham County Council, the city's Pub Watch scheme, Durham University and the local campus of Teikyo University which gives Japanese students the chance of a year at a UK campus, with all that that implies.