Police commissioner will patrol at night with officers
Road
Kent's new Police and Crime
Commissioner Ann Barnes has pledged to join officers on night
patrols in Canterbury city centre following complaints about
anti-social behaviour.
It came during her recent
visit to the city when residents raised it as one of their main
concerns.
Mrs Barnes was on the latest leg of
her community 'crime battle bus' tour, which included a visit
to Bridge.
She met Lord Mayor Robert Waters
and spoke to members of the public about their concerns aboard her
bus, called ‘Ann Force 1’.
As well as rowdiness from night
time revellers visiting pubs and clubs, residents also raised the
problem of cycling on the pavements.
A visit to the ASDA store in Sturry
Road gave the Commissioner a chance to see first hand a ‘police
pod’, which is open from 12pm – 1pm every Monday to Saturday.
The portable office, near the ASDA
foyer, is used as a contact point between shoppers and the local
policing team.
The Commissioner also visited
Bridge and spoke to a local resident about 20mph speeding zones.
She also met Chief Inspector Steve Barlow, to find out more about
policing in East Kent and discuss police performance.
Afterwards she said: ‘What really
impressed me is that while the police is having to maintain service
levels with fewer people, it’s to the credit of the neighbourhood
policing team that they are doing such a good job and getting on
with business as usual.
"It was a real pleasure to meet the
local officers and their professionalism and dedication shone
through. I’m very reassured by their work and look forward to going
out on patrol with them in the New Year.’
What do you think? Email
kentishgazette@thekmgroup.co.uk, call 01227 475985 or write to
Gazette House, Estuary View Business Park, 5-8 Boorman Way, Wraik
Hill, Whitstable, CT5 3SE.
27/12/12
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