One of the most important roles a councillor plays is liaison with the Police and both Michael and I were pleased to accompany officers from Farringdon Police on a tour of the South area in an unmarked Police car a few weeks ago. During the two hours we spent driving round Herrington, Farringdon the Lakeside Village and onwards into the surrounding area we gained a valuable insight into the challenges of modern policing.

So often the causes of crime can be found in drug and alcohol misuse so we were pleased to hear of the firm line being taken against under-age youths caught with alcohol. It does seem that sometimes parents either buy or allow their children to take alcohol from home and they, not just licensees, must act responsibly. People often comment to me how much they like to see ‘Bobbies on the beat’ as much for reassurance as vigilance. Clearly resources are best spent sending officers to crime scenes as fast as is reasonable but the presence of Police on the streets, especially these known to the community, is a practice we always support.

If the Police could be freed from the tyranny of paperwork and email their time would be spent more efficiently. Email really is a double-edged sword with easier communication too often becoming unnecessary work tying officers to desks. More officers would clearly help but we need to think carefully about the powers of Community Support Officers as people find out quickly what they can and cannot do and will respect them accordingly. Better to give them the power they need to deal with the issues they face.

Robert