Philip Dunne MP backs Church Stretton citizen patrols

Plans for Police Academy-style citizen street patrols to combat anti-social behaviour in Church Stretton have won the backing of county MP Philip Dunne.

The MP for Ludlow has claimed the plans for Church Stretton, which would see members of the public don high visibility jackets and patrol around the town, could help cut out incidents of anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

He has written to Superintendent Pete Lightwood at West Mercia Police to see if the idea can be pursued further.

Mr Dunne has compared the idea to the pilot Ludlow Community Alcohol Partnership (L-CAP) which already sees police and the local community working together to help combat under-age drinking.

Patrols will be run on Friday and Saturday nights in Ludlow in the run-up to Christmas and Mr Dunne said he would be joining one of them.

The idea is the brainchild of John Woolmer, of Church Stretton Community Group, who said he was inspired to act after seeing 15 instances of vandalism affecting community projects in Church Stretton.

He has based his idea on Streetwatch schemes already in place in Hampshire, Surrey, and Bedfordshire where citizens patrol the streets to create a noticeable presence. It is also similar to the 1987 film Police Academy 4, where officers train members of the public to form Citizens On Patrol units (COPs) to help fight crime.

Mr Dunne said: "I have written to the superintendent for Shropshire division and I look forward to discussing with them whether this is something they are willing to support.

"I have spoken to John Woolmer and he has given me some examples of where this has been happening with the support of police forces.

"The Ludlow Community Alcohol Partnership which is involving police and local traders in trying to reduce alcohol abuse among the young, but that's including patrols on Friday and Saturday nights until Christmas and I will be joining one of those.

"Police are already engaged with something with concerned citizens in Shropshire.

"The Church Stretton initiative isn't concentrated on alcohol in the same way, but it's not that dissimilar," he added.

The idea has received a lukewarm reaction from town mayor Bob Welch, who has claimed since CCTV was brought in at the town park and other sites there had been very few incidents of anti-social behaviour.

By Peter Kitchen