Police work with public to make real difference to our lives, says Scunthorpe MP Nic Dakin
The dreadful murder of two young policewomen in Manchester is an awful reminder of what a dangerous job these public servants do on our behalf, day in, day out.
I've been very privileged to join local police in the many different roles they carry out on our behalf, from seeing them at local events like Howsham Summer Fair to going out with them on a Friday night in the unmarked Respect vehicle targeting antisocial behaviour.
And I've joined them in the Town Centre on a Saturday night to see how they work with the door staff, street pastors and others.
More recently I joined probation and police to see how the Integrated Offender Management system is working, targeting those people most likely to steal from others and taking action to ensure they change their ways or are sent to prison.
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Last week I drew the new Justice Secretary's attention to how well this is working and asked him to ensure that bureaucratic obstacles don't stop it becoming even more effective. (If you want to learn more about my week read my diary at www.nicdakin.com)
By working together with us the police are making a real difference to our lives.
Last week I met the new Chief Superintendent across Northern Lincolnshire and learnt that confidence levels with the police locally are high at 85 per cent but I know we all want to see confidence even higher.
Last Friday I spent six hours with the "traffic cops" and was very impressed by the real care they demonstrated for the safety and welfare of members of the public and by their sheer professionalism. It was eye opening!
The camera on their car checks each number plate as it passes by giving intelligence on whether it's got insurance or been involved in anything untoward. Their purpose is very much to reduce accident levels – supporting people who break down on the motorway until they are safe or enrolling someone on a speed seminar rather than giving them a fixed penalty notice helps achieve this ambition.
It's unbelievable that this Conservative Government is wasting public money on elections in November for police and crime Commissioners, money that would be far more sensibly spent on more police.
Instead the Conservatives are cutting the police by 20 per cent and attacking the conditions of service of those who work so hard to protect us!
It was good to have this week Labour's PCC candidate, John Prescott, in Scunthorpe with Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper listening to those people working together to reduce drug and alcohol related crime locally.
Their approach of listening and learning from the views of local police and others contrasts strongly with the behaviour of the Conservative Chief Whip who was rude and abusive towards police officers protecting Downing Street.
It was good that he apologised but the episode showed that many senior Conservatives believe they are born to rule and don't have to treat the views of people like us with respect. That is a big mistake!
Comments
by ewbfchamp
Friday, September 28 2012, 11:42AM
“I know a young lady of 20 who became a support officer and has recently given it up because she was not getting enough support when she asked for it !!!!!!”