New PCC commits to supporting Haverhill policing
Monday, 22nd April 2013.
The first St Edmundsbury Panel meeting held by Suffolk's police and crime commissioner Tim Passmore took place in Haverhill on Friday afternoon.
Mr Passmore said meetings would be held in various places in the borough but he had chosen Haverhill for the first one because it sometimes got left out.
"Just because Haverhill is in the south-west corner doesn't mean it's any less part of Suffolk than anywhere else to me," he said.
He outlined his 2013 Plan for policing in the county, stressing his role was not concerned with operational decisions, which were down to the new Chief Constable, Douglas Paxton.
He praised Mr Paxton and said he was delighted to be working with him. Haverhill's police chief, Insp Peter Ferrie, said the constabulary in general was very impressed with its new boss.
"The morale of the force has gone through the roof in the last few weeks," said Insp Ferrie. "It's almost like a different organisation. The focus is on victims of crime and not facts and figures, which is what policing should be about."
Mr Passmore's plan has four objectives - responding to emergencies, solving crime, preventing and reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and caring for victims and vulnerable people.
Mr Passmore said he included inconsiderate parking within the heading of anti-social behaviour.
Insp Ferrie reported on latest crime statistics for the borough and for Haverhill. Most were down, althopugh domestic burglaries were up 12 per cent and the rate of solving them down 3.6 per cent. He admitted this was not good for the area or for the force.
In Haverhill most crime categories were down, but there was an increase in sexual offences, partly historical, due to the Jimmy Savile effect, but more noticeable in Haverhill than elsewhere.
Mr Passmore said he was committed to relaunching the Suffolk First initiative, aimed at returning the constabulary to the level of public satisfaction which that had attained five or six years ago.
This might involve an increase in the precept on council tax, he said.
County councillor Anne Gower said there was a need for more constables and PCSOs before Haverhill's predicted expansion of population, not after.
Mr Passmore agreed to look at the demographic forecast and accepted the town was soon to be the fourth largest in the county.
Towen clerk Will Austin pointed out the current complement of officers may have been based on out-of-date population figures as the recent census had shown an unexpectedly high increase in the number of town residents, to over 27,000.
Town councillor Roger Andre said police shouldn't have to prioritise parking offences to get them addressed, and Haverhill and Suffokk in general needed a fairer share of resources.
Mr Passmore said he had already spoken to home secretary Theresa May anfd told her Suffolk had been short-changed for 25-30 years in policing and healthcare.
In the high street parking issue, which Mr Passmore said he knew from attendance at a recent public meeting in the town was a hot potato, they were looking at the powers which could be given to PCSOs and other members of the public.
"This pedestrianisation issue can't go on as it is," he said. "It's been like this for years. We have to find ways to police it properly."
Mr Passmore said meetings would be held in various places in the borough but he had chosen Haverhill for the first one because it sometimes got left out.
"Just because Haverhill is in the south-west corner doesn't mean it's any less part of Suffolk than anywhere else to me," he said.
He outlined his 2013 Plan for policing in the county, stressing his role was not concerned with operational decisions, which were down to the new Chief Constable, Douglas Paxton.
He praised Mr Paxton and said he was delighted to be working with him. Haverhill's police chief, Insp Peter Ferrie, said the constabulary in general was very impressed with its new boss.
"The morale of the force has gone through the roof in the last few weeks," said Insp Ferrie. "It's almost like a different organisation. The focus is on victims of crime and not facts and figures, which is what policing should be about."
Mr Passmore's plan has four objectives - responding to emergencies, solving crime, preventing and reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and caring for victims and vulnerable people.
Mr Passmore said he included inconsiderate parking within the heading of anti-social behaviour.
Insp Ferrie reported on latest crime statistics for the borough and for Haverhill. Most were down, althopugh domestic burglaries were up 12 per cent and the rate of solving them down 3.6 per cent. He admitted this was not good for the area or for the force.
In Haverhill most crime categories were down, but there was an increase in sexual offences, partly historical, due to the Jimmy Savile effect, but more noticeable in Haverhill than elsewhere.
Mr Passmore said he was committed to relaunching the Suffolk First initiative, aimed at returning the constabulary to the level of public satisfaction which that had attained five or six years ago.
This might involve an increase in the precept on council tax, he said.
County councillor Anne Gower said there was a need for more constables and PCSOs before Haverhill's predicted expansion of population, not after.
Mr Passmore agreed to look at the demographic forecast and accepted the town was soon to be the fourth largest in the county.
Towen clerk Will Austin pointed out the current complement of officers may have been based on out-of-date population figures as the recent census had shown an unexpectedly high increase in the number of town residents, to over 27,000.
Town councillor Roger Andre said police shouldn't have to prioritise parking offences to get them addressed, and Haverhill and Suffokk in general needed a fairer share of resources.
Mr Passmore said he had already spoken to home secretary Theresa May anfd told her Suffolk had been short-changed for 25-30 years in policing and healthcare.
In the high street parking issue, which Mr Passmore said he knew from attendance at a recent public meeting in the town was a hot potato, they were looking at the powers which could be given to PCSOs and other members of the public.
"This pedestrianisation issue can't go on as it is," he said. "It's been like this for years. We have to find ways to police it properly."
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