OUR Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner, Angus Macpherson, is a busy man. He’s been busy apologising.
First he attacked the Liberal Democrats for highlighting soaring crimes against women. Then he apologised when it turned out these flawed figures came from his own office in the first place and were released after a freedom of information request made by local newspapers, including this one.
His real apology should be to all Wiltshire women who have been subject to violent attacks.
His latest figures still show a doubling of reported violent attacks on women, down from the 500 per cent plus increase his own office released in January and then only seemed to notice once this had been brought to light by the press and the Lib Dems, who care, take notice and are prepared to stand up and point out when problems are happening.
While he’s apologising, he should say sorry to householders for having the worst burglary clear-up rate in the country, as reported by Churchill insurance last year, and to everyone trying to report crime who simply cannot get through on the phones.
His final apology should be to his own officers. Wiltshire Police work hard for us. They joined the force to keep us safe, deter crime and catch criminals. Under this Police and Crime Commissioner their numbers have fallen while their workload has increased.
No surprise, then, that he has failed to recruit the numbers of Special Constables that he thought could fill the gap.
Mr Macpherson’s incompetence and wrong priorities are staggering.
Perhaps the letter he should really be writing is not another one with an apology, but one containing his resignation.
DR BRIAN MATHEW
Liberal Democrat Prospective MP for North Wiltshire and former PCC candidate
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