The Echo has an article about changes in policing in Hockley and Rochford:
Brian Guyett, of Hockley Residents? Association, said he was concerned about the impact of reducing the number of community officers in each area.
He added: ?At the end of the day this all comes back to the Government budget cuts.
They?ve got fewer people, how thick do you spread the butter? ?You can?t have everything. It?s changing focus and it?s going to have an impact, basically the streets of Essex are going to be patrolled by PCSOs .?
He was particularly shocked to see the Essex Police website updated to say there will now only be one named neighbourhood specialist officer covering both Hockley and Rochford, previously there was one for each town.
Full story here
Regrettably, the Echo didn’t quite publish the full story.
First its not just Hockley/Hawkwell/Rochford (population 30,000 with 1 PC and 2 PCSOs) but its Rayleigh/Hullbridge as well (population 40,000 with 1 PC and 3 PCSOs). So a 1:10,000 ratio across this area. The Police tell me that more reductions will be made across the county.
This is effectively the end of proactive, Neighbourhood Policing, RIP. The police will increasingly rely on reactive policing in the hope of improving the current poor clear-up rates. OK if it works but police will be in a ‘tailspin’ if crime rates increase.
The Police “Blueprint” simply isn’t working and knee-jerk changes are being implemented. This means the elections on 15 November for the new post of Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) assume even greater importance. Two candidates have dropped out, leaving 4 Party representatives (Tory, Labour, English Dems and UKIP)and 2 independents (Linda Belgrove, ex Police Authority vice-chair, and Mick Thwaites (ex Southend Police Chief Supt’d). Interesting to note there is no LibDem candidate. But should political appointees have a place in policing?
Everyone will have 2 votes (a first and second choice)and I do hope people use them.