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SUFFOLK’S Police Chief Constable Paul Scott-Lea attended a forum in Haverhill, where 92 per cent of those present gave a vote of confidence for policing in the town

Inspector Mike Bacon, sector commander for the Haverhill area, said he was slightly disappointed that only 27 people attended the forum.

However he was pleased that interactive voting at the event showed that 92 per cent of them were confident or very confident in local policing.

Inspector Bacon told the forum that Suffolk has the lowest rate of burglaries in the country and that the Haverhill sector has seen a 23 per cent reduction in house burglaries from April to September, compared with the same period last year.

Violent crime in the Haverhill area has risen by six and a half per cent during the same period, but this compares with a 12 per cent increase across Suffolk as a whole. Violent crime covers a whole range of offences including making threats, keeping a dangerous dog and sexual offences.

“No increase is good, but this does show that Haverhill is not the violent place that people from outside sometimes perceive it to be,” Inspector Bacon said.

He said across Suffolk, figures showed that one in every three violent crimes occurred in the home, one in five was related to alcohol and one third involved no physical injury, only threats.

Inspector Bacon reminded people that during darker nights burglars looked for homes with no lights on between 4 – 6 pm, and suggested the use of timer switches.

Speeding hotspots in the Haverhill area have been targeted, with 300 people reported for offences during the six-month period,.

Special constables organised a seat belt campaign in June and were concerned about the lack of child safety measures being used.

Suffolk’s Chief Constable has accepted a challenge to make Suffolk the safest county in the UK within five years, with an extra 195 officers to be provided.

Film of the police helicopter was shown, which in the last year has helped officers make 100 arrests, find more than 100 missing persons and recover £121,000 worth of stolen property.

One issue raised by a member of the public was the possibility of a by law in Haverhill, like that in Bury St Edmunds, to ban drinking in public places.

Inspector Bacon said this was not considered necessary at present, but could be considered in future if needed.