ON-THE-SPOT fines are to be introduced in Merseyside from today for offences such as being drunk and disorderly or making hoax calls.
The tickets, which work in the same way as those for speeding, are called Penalty Notices for Disorder, and mark the latest initiative in Merseyside Chief Constable Norman Bettison's campaign to clamp down on anti-social behaviour on the streets.
Getting drunk and misbehaving could earn you an automatic £40 ticket, while offences such as throwing fireworks, making hoax calls to the fire brigade and causing harassment could bring an £80 penalty.
Those fined will have 21 days to pay up, after which an arrest warrant will be issued.
The plan is intended to save thousands of police hours.
Assistant Chief Constable Ian McPherson said it took 184 minutes of police time to prepare a case file for an arrest and charge, compared with the 30 minutes it will take to issue a penalty notice.
He said: "We believe this scheme is a step in the right direction to reducing the ever-increasing bureaucracy faced by patrol officers."
