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Police cuts slammed
9:50am Thursday 15th February 2007
Comments (5)
MAYOR of Calne Colin Viner is livid that the number of permanent police in the town are to be halved.
The ten officers at Calne Police Station in Silver Street will be cut to just four in a reorganisation later this month.
In addition, an unconfirmed number of officers will be based at Chippenham where they will be briefed every morning before travelling to patrol Calne.
Four Police Community Support Officers will also be based at Calne but Coun Viner says that is not good enough.
The 57-year-old said: "It is disgusting that most people committing crimes in the town will have time to vandalise something, stand back and admire their work and then amble off home to watch tv all before the police arrive in the morning."
"I remember in the 60s when there was just 5,000 people in the town and we must have had at least 17 coppers on the beat.
"Why has the number fallen so dramatically even though we now have 13,500 people in the town?
But Inspector Gavin Williams has vowed that the four-man neighbourhood unit will improve policing in Calne.
Calne Police Station's enquiry office has been closed for almost one year, leaving residents who want to report a crime out in the cold.
The four full-time police officers who form the neighbourhood policing unit will deal with neighbourhood issues such as vandalism, anti social behaviour and problems involving pubs, supermakets and off-licences.
Inspector Williams said: "These officers can go about their duties without being dragged into emergency calls and serious crime investigations. They will make themselves known in neighbourhoods around Calne and will deal with local concerns about crime relating to anti-social behaviour."
The neighbourhood policing team will be supported by officers who will report for duty in Chippenham before being sent straight out to patrol Calne.
Details of the changes at Calne police station were outlined to members of the town council last week.
Insp Williams, whose patch now includes Chippenham and Corsham, knows Calne well as he was based there as a sergeant.
Your Say YourThe Wiltshire Gazette and Herald
Bill, Wootton says...
10:36am Thu 15 Feb 07
Steve wrote:There's a lot to be said for policing of the community by the community - particularly as the people involved actually know their communities and are answerable to them. In effect this is not unlike the old "coppering" of old when the local bobby really was local.
It seems that the next step will be to introduce street patrols in Calne similar to those run by the BNP in Corsham. Local people cannot just sit back and let this happen!
But is it reasonable to expect the BNP to do it all? With the best wishes in the world I don't think it is - but all credit to them for showing what can be done.
I am however less than impressed by the reaction of the police and some sections of the local media who although critical of the BNP/residents efforts arn't prepared to get off their well-paid posteriors to do the same - not for no pay they're not.
I don't know what is going to happen in Calne but one thing you won't see is either senior police officers or media reporters doing any patrolling in their own time and at their own expense for the good of the community. they just sit back and nitpick!
It's high time we had a return to proper policing - after all we pay enough for it!
Dig, says...
9:42pm Thu 15 Feb 07
As for the BNP its rediculous to think they are in any way crediable for patroling etc, and will they still be so keen after the elections in May, I very much doubt it, the BNP stance here is a cynical political stunt ahead of the elections.
Alan, Calne says...
11:15pm Thu 15 Feb 07
rosco, Calne says...
1:14am Sun 18 Feb 07
Ten officers total, but, working on a shift pattern and including holidays/sickness/training you'd never be very likey to get more than 2 out anyway, always assuming you'd have been in the ridht place/time to have seen them.
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Steve, Calne says...
10:07am Thu 15 Feb 07