Plan to put more police officers on our streets

THE story appeared in the Courier on Friday, February 3, issue 1123.

Alison Hernandez, Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner has pledged an additional £24 million to enable Chief Constable, Shaun Sawyer, to put more police officers on the streets in both counties, by 2020.

Ms Hernandez has also published her first Police and Crime Plan titled Safe, Resilient and Connected Communities and vows to help keep people safe by improving the connection between the public and the police.

Her aim is to have excellent policing, better co-ordination with the wider public services and resilient self-supporting communities.

She aims to raise the extra funding by freezing more than £10 million from reserves, by striving for further efficiencies, by raising the policing precept of the Council Tax and by changing other spending priorities.

Mr Sawyer has welcomed the opportunity to increase the number of police officers and supports the plan.

Please let me know your thoughts.

You can contact me at: 102 High Street, Crediton or by email at: [email protected] .

What you told us ...

More police on the streets wouldn’t be a bad thing. I think the police station should be open in Crediton. It’s such a large area. I think our system is broken and all our services have been cut especially the police, NHS and care homes.

Sandra, Crediton

I hope they don’t get rid of our PCSO’s Dave Waring and Lisa Crocker because they are valuable in Crediton. Why can’t they become police officers? We don’t have many police officers in Crediton. They are closing everything - we will have nothing left. I want people to know what’s going on. I don’t want them to get rid of our PCSO’s and I’m writing a letter to the Police and Crime Commissioner to try to save their jobs.

Linda Savage-Jones

I don’t think there are enough police officers on the street. We used to see policemen walking about all the time. You don’t see any now only traffic wardens!

Bow ResidentI don’t think there are enough police officers in Crediton especially when things kick-off in the town on Friday and Saturday nights.

Mr M Pauley, Crediton

I honestly don’t think we have enough police. I think these are difficult financial times, but we ought to have more of a police presence particularly in the evenings and at weekends.

Alan Ruddock, Crediton