Councillors call for police station evening opening
Thursday, 24th June 2010.
Haverhill people would feel a lot safer if the town's police station was open for a few hours each evening at the weekends, councillors have told the town's new police chief.
Insp Chris Galley made his first visit to a Haverhill Town Council on Tuesday evening and reported on crime in Haverhill and what the police were doing about it.
He explained how policing in Suffolk had been restructured into nine 'briefing hubs' from which officers would respond to calls. Haverhill is one of these and police get to callouts within 15 minutes nearly 90 per cent of the time, which is close to their target.
However, Suffolk police were also required to save £3.5 million, which they were doing in various ways, including close collaboration and sharing of teams with Norfolk.
As part of the savings, opening hours at Haverhill police station were being reviewed. It would be open for eight hours a day, at times to be fixed between 7am and 6.30pm, and Insp Galley asked for public input on which eight hours would be most effective.
The station will still be open 9am to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
But Cllr Maureen Byrne said police station opening times had been unsatisfactory in Haverhill for a number of years.
Cllr Byrne wanted to see the station open for a few hours from 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
"People in Haverhgill would feel a lot safer if that was the case," she said.
Councilloors also wanted to see the station open in the evenings when special events were on in the street or the market square, or during the World Cup.
Insp Galley said he would rather have police on the streets and not in the police station behind the reception desk on these prime occasions.
He reported there had beenan increase in crime and anti-social behaviour in Haverhill in recent weeks and they were looking at the causes and ways of dealing with it, along with partner agencies.
The recent Operation Alcopop initiative had seen quatities of alcohol seized from young people, and police lso hoped the new On The Spot youth activities van would help.
Increased crimes included criminal damage on routes away from pubs and burglary of both homes and other buildings, so he urged householders to make sure the locked their houses, garages and sheds.
Insp Chris Galley made his first visit to a Haverhill Town Council on Tuesday evening and reported on crime in Haverhill and what the police were doing about it.
He explained how policing in Suffolk had been restructured into nine 'briefing hubs' from which officers would respond to calls. Haverhill is one of these and police get to callouts within 15 minutes nearly 90 per cent of the time, which is close to their target.
However, Suffolk police were also required to save £3.5 million, which they were doing in various ways, including close collaboration and sharing of teams with Norfolk.
As part of the savings, opening hours at Haverhill police station were being reviewed. It would be open for eight hours a day, at times to be fixed between 7am and 6.30pm, and Insp Galley asked for public input on which eight hours would be most effective.
The station will still be open 9am to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
But Cllr Maureen Byrne said police station opening times had been unsatisfactory in Haverhill for a number of years.
Cllr Byrne wanted to see the station open for a few hours from 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
"People in Haverhgill would feel a lot safer if that was the case," she said.
Councilloors also wanted to see the station open in the evenings when special events were on in the street or the market square, or during the World Cup.
Insp Galley said he would rather have police on the streets and not in the police station behind the reception desk on these prime occasions.
He reported there had beenan increase in crime and anti-social behaviour in Haverhill in recent weeks and they were looking at the causes and ways of dealing with it, along with partner agencies.
The recent Operation Alcopop initiative had seen quatities of alcohol seized from young people, and police lso hoped the new On The Spot youth activities van would help.
Increased crimes included criminal damage on routes away from pubs and burglary of both homes and other buildings, so he urged householders to make sure the locked their houses, garages and sheds.
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