Community policing in Longtown

Last updated at 14:48, Thursday, 22 January 2009

PC Alasdair Wright

PC Alasdair Wright and Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Peter Aiston man Longtown Police Station and talk about some of the responsibilities of the modern community officer and the local issues they face in Longtown.

The area covered ranges over 120 square miles and both officers are aware of the importance of a visible presence across their area. The station at Longtown was previously unmanned but a new pilot project has been introduced to bridge the gap and provide additional support for the community contingent at Longtown. The local force are calling for public volunteers to be known as police support volunteers and they are being untilised to fill gaps in administration, letter drops and manning the enquiry desk within Longtown.

PC Wright said, "It's important to have somebody within Longtown to speak to and a physical point of contact for people; just for their peace of mind."

The town experiences the normal problems associated with anti social behavior but the police are kept busy policing all of their 120 square mile patch following up on a rural crimes anti-social behavior. Common crimes include the theft of diesel, quad bikes and agrcultural machinery. Neighbourhood Watch and Farm Watch schemes have been introduced to tackle and reduce the problem.

Both officers recognise the importance of contact with local schools and youth groups and targetting primary schools within the area is a high priority for officers who realsie the value of early contact in order to break down traditional barriers between police and the local community.

PC Wright said: "It's vital that we get links into the community. I need to stress that people need to talk to us and let us know the issues so that we can respond to them."

First published at 22:12, Monday, 28 July 2008
Published by http://www.longtownlocal.co.uk