Letter: Where is local policing?
Wednesday 17th February 2010, 7:23AM GMT.
Letter: I want to ask West Mercia Police, where is the local policing in Shrewsbury? What about the so-called Policing Pledge we see so widely advertised on television?
I live on the Herongate Estate in Shrewsbury and I can tell you that we are having lots of problems with local youths causing anti-social behaviour, drinking under age and simply upsetting the residents. But have we seen any local friendly neighbourhood police deal with it? The answer to that is no.
We have reported it numerous times and nothing has been done. We have not seen a police officer in months. So what are they going to do about it?
Terry Spencer
Shrewsbury
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It’s not just Shrewsbury!. I live in Albrighton and you never see a Police Officer. Granted you see the CSO’s which are a waste of time, but even their presence is diminishing. There is now more anti social behaviour than ever before – from children getting drunk, quad bikes racing in fields and lanes and general contempt at the law. The Police have been replaced by Speed Camera Vans, CSO’s and motorway Traffic wannabes. My old Dad who was a Policeman in the 60′s would be turning in his grave.
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We must have in great in Telford then – I see our CSOs and local police officers all the time!
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been living on sutton hill for sixteen years and have only seen a police man walking about twice cso you some times see in the center but just ignor whats going on in front of them
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the police are too busy drinking cups of tea and coffee and eating biscuits,going on the internet etc to bother doing any work. if they are asked to walk a beat they refuse on health and safety grounds stating “excessive walking will damage our feet and the equipment we have to carry will damage our backs”
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They are proberly chasing the real criminals. ie the motorist
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Terry, although I do not oversee Local Policing in Shrewsbury, I am the Chief Inspector for Local Policing in Telford. I am pleased that Heather has seen some officers and CSO’s, but I have no doubt there may be some readers who feel they also have seen little to no police presence. I can assure you that there are officers in your area, and if you follow this link ‘http://www.westmercia.police.uk/list-of-local-policing-teams.html’ you should be able to see who your local policing team is (anywhere in West Mercia), and how to make contact with them. The link also details the agreed community priorities, identified through the local PACT (Partners and Community Together) meetings. These meeting are usually monthly, and allow the community to agree what are the most important issues that they want the police and other agencies (like the Council) to focus on. These agreed priorities will then attract additional police and Community Support Officer attention. So if you feel there is a particular issue where you live, you can either contact the Local Policing team direct, or attend one of the PACT events.
Local Policing is just one part of the front line service that West Mercia Police provide. We manage over 1.3 million non emergency calls, and over 160,000 emergency calls per year, delivering a 24/7/365 emergency response, as well as specialist detective officers, who undertake overt and covert operations throughout West Mercia. We work with many other agencies to try and keep crime low, reduce anti social behaviour, and keep people safe from harm.
I will pass your concern onto the Chief Inspector for Local Policing in Shropshire, but would encourage anyone who has a community issue to raise that with their Local Policing Team.
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Anti-Social Behaviour and Under-age drinking in Shrewsbury? Heaven forbid!
To hear a lot of the towns inhabitants talking it is some kind of Utopia!
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I live in the Harlescott area and we haven’t seen a policeman or CSO in months either…..maybe its too cold to walk the streets!
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Ah yes, the 1960s, those halcyon days which represent a model of morality and good honest coppers.
Bring back National Service, flogging, hanging clipped ears etc Never did me any harm blah blah
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When i was little we were taught to have respect for the Police by our parents. The problem we have now is that parents encourage their children to not show any respect for CSO’s. All this Plastic copper, Glorified Security guard and waste of space malarky is damaging the reputation of these hard working people before the scheme properly gets off the ground.
Remember we are all responsible for the areas we live in and its us the residents that make it good or bad, not the Police and CSO’s. All this ” Thats what we pay are taxes for ” rubbish is just damaging and encourages disrespect..
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Nothing unusual that we have a comment from Telford Police but nothing from Shrewsbury, I suppose had it been a story about a Shrewsbury officer helping Mrs Miggins across the road and receiving a thank you letter we wouldn’t have been able to move for people willing to do interviews, photocalls etc.
I suspect that Shrewsbury have the highest level of sickness through bad backs in the region. It’s down to all that back-slapping!
Shrewsbury Police the engine room of ‘Good News’.
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we live in Muxton where there is a small park; you can bet that come any school holiday groups of youths will be drinking, smashing bottles in the play area and general being ‘anti-social’
It has been reported to the police many times, and in fairness officers have always been sent, and most of the time fairly quickly; however do they do anything about it?… nope!
one night Police were called about 5 times due to the noise; each time the police or CSO’s turned up, chatted to the kids to keep the noise down and then disappeared… a complete waste of time; if residence call the police there is an expectation it to be dealt with there and then; not to have to keep calling over and over… plus that’s a complete waste of police resource if they have to keep revisiting – This isn’t isolated to just West Mercia… this is a national Problem!
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Interesting figures from the Cf Insp,but out of 160,000 emergency calls,how many were actually emergencies, how many were hoax calls or drunks phoning trying to get a taxi or pizza, are kids making calls from phoneboxes recorded in that total? Presumably a lot of these calls are different callers reporting the same incidents, or in fact the same people ringing back because the police haven’t arrived within 93.81 seconds of putting the phone down.How about a run down on how all these numbers actually break down into tasks?
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Live on Trench Road if you want to see a policeman – but don’t blink or you’ll miss them racing past as they have to each night – like Blackpool Illuminations after 9pm with the blues and twos going up and down the road!
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Terry I don’t believe you.You just sound anti police. All you moaners if you don’t like it then i suggest you join the police and make a difference.But you won’t, you will sit in the comfort and safety of your homes and blame the police for everything including the weather.The only people that moan about shrewsbury and shropshire are you locals. you don’t know how good you have it living in a great town and county. Stop moaning and get on with your lifes.Anti social behaviour is the fault of the parents. I suggest you go and moan at the your neighbours who bring these children up without any manners at all. Or should the police bring everyones children up for you aswell.
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keep ur eyes open mate there is a CSO is every are a now, often seen on bikes or public transport, get the bus they are always on it
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CSO’s??? They are a joke. Why don’t we get rid of the CSO’s and replace them with a proper Constable? Surely if we get rid of 1000 CSO’s we could afford 500 PC’s with proper powers.
Also, as a member of the armed forces I am SHOCKED at the fitness (sorry, FATNESS) levels of the police force nowadays. When I was last home on leave, I spotted a rather ‘plump’ (read- clinically obese) CSO wandering (wobbling) around the area. All the little chavs were just laughing at her; The face of modern UK policing today….
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we seem to have a bit of a shortage in our area too.where i live its like living on the chatsworth estate and the police just carry on as if oblivious to it.they say for people to go to the community meetings but whats the point???? nothing is ever done ,its as if criminals have a free reign nowadays
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I think everyone is missing the point here, albeit that not all posters have children who are committing these offences, however…
These are YOUR children committing these offences, why are YOU passing the responsibility. Why expect others to deal with anti social behaviour when the buck is firmly at the parents of these children causing a nuisance
Why? Because some parents don’t give too hoots, so neither do the children. Respect is already lost for any kind of discipline. And this doesn’t boil down to police earning respect, it carries on to teachers, neighbours and other children they come in to contact with.
So before everyone starts blaming everyone else, some parents should take a long hard look at themselves..
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Mr Magoo, Spencer and particularly Bill – well said!
These children that the police are expected to ‘parent’ come to their attention because these so called parents allow their children to go where they want, when they want, whevever they want – they’ll even supply the alcohol. The parents have no idea where they are and don’t really care. When the police take the children home to their parents or ask them to account for their whereabouts (if the parent(s) are even contactable or at home) the alibi’s and excuses slip off the parents tongues. These children know no boundaries, rules or consequences and the police are more and more having to pick up the pieces…! Whats even more frightening is this culture is now cascading to the next generation as these ‘feral’ children are now having children of their own – learning the same, if not worse, behaviour and parenting ‘skills’.
We also need to remember that most children and young people are respectable and pleasant. There is a small minority of children who cause the signicant amount of trouble/anti-social behaviour and give young people a bad name.
Ignorant Toad – yes, you’re really the kind of influence that the younger people can do without… ignorant indeed.
Police have a very diffiult job and no wonder…
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I think some people are missing the point here….
regardless of whether the parents should sort their kids out, it doesn’t justify youths on the street, drinking,causing a nusaince and being aniti social. I have every respect for the person that confronts the youths themselves because the police are clearly not bothered ot interested. As forCSO’S well i’m dumbfounded.
The so called local policing teams in shrewsbury are where exactly????
The
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Firstly Bill, some of us tried to get into the Police but didnt even get a thank you for applying, that is how much they want you, and I applied to be a Special which means they didnt even have to PAY me to do it!
It is nice to see a reply from Telford Police but where were you at 3am when my sister had her car vandalised and her living room window smashed? Couldnt even get you to come out to that but if the neighbours started fighting well you turn up mob handed. You write and complain to the Chief Constable who says Oh dear we will send a liaison officer out several weeks later, still waiting for that some 7 months later and since then my sister has moved house. The Policing Pledge isnt worth the paper it is written on.
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Spencer as a tax payer i object to the use of a pcso it is policing on the cheap. It has nothing to do with respect for the police. I have and my children respect for the police and have never encountered them for anything other than when at our old secluded property we were burgled about 15 years ago to which the police officer was excellent. We were also visited by a volanteer individul from victims of crime who carried out the role of a pcso for free. I would have been annoyed if they had sent a pcso( if they were employed then) who is spencer whether you like it or not is a glorified security guard.
We all are aware where the trouble hotspots are and these areas should be targeted by the police and in many cases they are but i expect police officers not some one who will do because it is seen as low level .
We need to stop this use of pcso and employ and train well trained and qualified police officers before we have a section of pcso who have grown to such a large extent they actually start to cost more than the real police and can then not be called policing on the cheap.
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I have responsibility for local policing in Shropshire. My colleague has posted details of how to contact your local policing team and how residents can air their views at PACT meetings. If having consulted your team you are dissatisfied then I would be happy to talk with you in person to discuss concerns and ideas for making improvements because Policing is a two way street and cannot be achieved without the active support and co-operation of local communities.
Sarah Jane Chaloner
Chief Inspector (Local Policing).
Shropshire Division.
West Mercia Police.
01743 237432
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