Reduction in Kingswear policing highlights inefficiency and shortages -Treleaven

Mike Treleaven, Totnes Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate last night attended the Kingswear Parish Council meeting called to discuss the loss of their Neighbourhood Beat Manager. Chief Inspector Steer, the local police commander responsible for implementing the change told the packed meeting that in future the Dartmouth Neighbourhood Beat Manager would also cover Kingswear, a decision that has caused much anger amongst local residents.

Speaking after the meeting Mike Treleaven said:

'This is symptomatic of the problems facing the police who are under resourced and overburdened with bureaucracy. The proposals for Kingswear mean that the local bobby will be based in Dartmouth with all the problems of policing the town and a parish separated by a vast stretch of water - surely a logistical nightmare. 8 beat managers are being withdrawn from the local area, but Chief Inspector Steer was unable to tell us where the other reductions would be. The people of Kingswear are understandably upset at loosing a policeman who has built up a good relationship with local villagers and contributes greatly to the low crime rate in the area'

He continued:

'We need more police out on the beat and they need to be freed up from the paperwork nightmare. We are way behind in the use of technology in the police force. Liberal Democrat proposals to increase police numbers by 10,000 and give police officers the technology they need to do the job will put bobbies out on the beat, where they and the public want them to be.'