Demand a better police service

I found it quite understandable to read of the concerns by Welshpool Town councillor John Corfield and the fears raised about the lack of police on our streets.

The policing methods of some 20 years ago have gone forever and with them regular street patrols by uniformed officers. Even in those days, the numbers of officers available in Welshpool and Newtown were not over-abundant.

Times have changed like everything else but certainly not for the better, with serious drug problems and a floating population from the larger towns and cities.

Police stations appear permanently closed, which often results in the public having to telephone police headquarters some distance away, which only causes further annoyance. Those who are able to gain access, now see officers behind some sort of protective barrier.

There is little doubt that Government interference has placed bureaucratic restrictions on the police in order to maintain statistics, that prove very little.

Community support officers, with no experience and limited powers, are not the answer, however conscientious they may be, which those so inclined soon realise. Police officers are trained and paid at substantial costs and it is their duty to serve the public, whatever that entails.

A major factor has to be the deployment of resources, which at present leaves a lot to be desired. There are far too many trained officers at all rank levels fully engaged in an office capacity.

Councils everywhere should demand a better and more visible police presence.

B Jones Newtown