Residents vote on three new priorities for police in town
Tuesday, 17th June 2014.
Police priorities in Haverhill will focus over the next three months on drug offences, burglaries and some anti-social behaviour being experienced in Ashlea Close.
The quarterly public forum of the Safer Neighbourhood Team was held last night at the Arts Centre, attended by some 30 people, with others following and voting online.
A wide range of issues were raised as potential priorities, and these were whittled down to nine on which residents were able to vote, being given a maximum of three votes each.
A composite priority concerning possible drug offences in the area behind Wortham Place, around the Aeroplane Park and on the recreation ground proved to be the winner with 31 votes.
Domestic burglaries came second with 24, after the meeting had heard from the town's police chief, Insp Peter Ferrie, that the number of such offences recorded since April 1 was double the three-year average for the period.
Insp Ferrie said someone had been arrested for one offence and put on bail, and police believed he may be responsible for a string of them.
Third in the voting was anti-social behaviour in Ashlea Close, where residents told the meeting they had been experiencing loud music and disturbance late into the night as a result of a group of young people who had been housed there.
Police were already in the process of dealing with the issue, although Acting Sgt Mark Ellis told residents no criminal offence had been committed, so it was a matter of gaining civil eviction.
Issues which lost out in the voting included anti-social parking on verges and pavements in Orchard Close, dog fouling and litter in town, cycling on pavements, parking on double yellow lines in Castle Avenue and Camps Road, anti-social behaviour on the recreation ground and joyriding around the industrial estates.
The previous three priorities were reported on, with action having been taken over claims of drinking and drug-taking on the recreation ground, parking around schools, and by lorries in Hollands Road, and drug enforcement.
Patrols, stop and searches and warrants had been executed on all three priorities.
A/Sgt Ellis also revealed 140 tickets had been isssued to motorists parked illegally in High Street, although that was no longer a priority, showing the issue had not been ignored.
The quarterly public forum of the Safer Neighbourhood Team was held last night at the Arts Centre, attended by some 30 people, with others following and voting online.
A wide range of issues were raised as potential priorities, and these were whittled down to nine on which residents were able to vote, being given a maximum of three votes each.
A composite priority concerning possible drug offences in the area behind Wortham Place, around the Aeroplane Park and on the recreation ground proved to be the winner with 31 votes.
Domestic burglaries came second with 24, after the meeting had heard from the town's police chief, Insp Peter Ferrie, that the number of such offences recorded since April 1 was double the three-year average for the period.
Insp Ferrie said someone had been arrested for one offence and put on bail, and police believed he may be responsible for a string of them.
Third in the voting was anti-social behaviour in Ashlea Close, where residents told the meeting they had been experiencing loud music and disturbance late into the night as a result of a group of young people who had been housed there.
Police were already in the process of dealing with the issue, although Acting Sgt Mark Ellis told residents no criminal offence had been committed, so it was a matter of gaining civil eviction.
Issues which lost out in the voting included anti-social parking on verges and pavements in Orchard Close, dog fouling and litter in town, cycling on pavements, parking on double yellow lines in Castle Avenue and Camps Road, anti-social behaviour on the recreation ground and joyriding around the industrial estates.
The previous three priorities were reported on, with action having been taken over claims of drinking and drug-taking on the recreation ground, parking around schools, and by lorries in Hollands Road, and drug enforcement.
Patrols, stop and searches and warrants had been executed on all three priorities.
A/Sgt Ellis also revealed 140 tickets had been isssued to motorists parked illegally in High Street, although that was no longer a priority, showing the issue had not been ignored.
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