Shropshire Star

Can’t handle simple offences – can we deal with serious crimes?

Ken Mullinder’s letter regarding the speed limit highlights the problem of enforcement throughout the country.

Published

We have a 20mph limit in Newport which is not enforced. If we cannot police simple misdemeanours such as cycling on pavements, parking on pavements, parking incorrectly at night time, driving with only one headlight then there is no chance of slightly more serious crimes being detected.

Chief constables and crime commissioners have admitted that there is not enough money in the pot to do what they would like to do. I believe the detection rate for burglary is about 90 per cent and they have stated that they do not have the officers to visit homes like they used to do in the past.

Is it little wonder that crime is on the increase if we do not have the numbers of officers walking the beat to act as a deterrent? It is all very well to ask the public to dial 101 but it was far more comforting to be able to walk into the local police station and have a chat but sadly there are very few stations remaining and most of those are only open part-time.

I cannot remember the last time I saw an officer in Edgmond and the last time I saw one walking around Newport was months ago – even the PCSOs seem to have disappeared. We are constantly being told to fasten our constrictive belts, but I would hope that the austerity cannot last indefinitely especially as billions are spent on a new CrossRail in London, the new Oxbridge line and on the HS2 fiasco which nobody wants except the political elite and big businesses (I have not spoken to one person that wants it).

It is remiss of me, but I was forgetting that there is always money available within the M25!

I think that will do for now.

Martin Reid. Edgmond

Send us your letters for publication:

Email us at starmail@shropshirestar.co.uk or write to: Readers’ Letters, Shropshire Star, Ketley, Telford, TF1 5HU. Letters MUST include the writer’s name, address and telephone number. Letters will only be published anonymously in exceptional circumstances. The editor reserves the right to condense or amend letters.