THE latest stabbings in Southend saw a dispersal order almost the size of the town itself put in place.
The attack on two teenagers in Beach Road on Monday night last week saw a massive response from police, covering Station Road in Westcliff and up to Southchurch.
The zone for extra stop and search powers extended to many parts of the borough.
The huge incident raised concerns that gang crime in Southend was “out of control” – right in the middle of Anti-Social Behaviour Week, a national campaign to raise awareness of the issue.
But assistant chief constable of Essex Police, Andy Prophet, said dispersal orders were a key tool for short term intervention.