Afternoon Meeting Wednesday 19th February
We were delighted to welcome our local PCSO, Liz Chesters, to our meeting. The area Liz is responsible for includes Holmes Chapel, Twemlow, Goostrey, Cranage and the more rural area of Jodrell Bank. This work involves a different type of policing, engaging with the community and making the police more approachable. While walking around these areas, any trouble can be spotted and reported to the police.
Police Community Support Officers are a fairly new scheme which started in London in 2002 and has proved to be beneficial to both the Police and residents. “Bobbies” no longer walk the streets, so this scheme helps the police to be aware of what is happening on the streets. Due to cut backs, we no longer have a working police station in Holmes Chapel, our nearest police station is now in Crewe. This station also covers Middlewich and Sandbach.
A PCSO is a full time paid job providing a base to work from and dealing with local problems such as rubbish thrown into gardens, groups or individuals causing a nuisance on the streets or alleyways etc. They try to find out who is responsible and talk to them. Talks are given in schools, which gives children the confidence to approach the police if they have any concerns. Any issues reported to the public are always followed up. A PCSO is not allowed to make arrests – any serious incidents are immediately reported to the police who will follow these up. Serious incidents seen by the public should be reported to the police by ringing 999.
Liz has a base in the Community Centre where the public can discuss any issues. Talks are arranged there too. Trying to keep an eye on the whole area can be difficult, especially in the more rural parts. A local farm might be contacted and a meeting arranged there for others to attend.
Policing is always changing and adapting and at the moment we have one of the lowest crime rates in this area being 48th out of 50.
Liz and the other officers now have a new uniform body-guard, which is much heavier and stab proof, complete with new equipment. This includes a body camera which can be very useful in court as it records incidents as they happen, and a radio as well as phones. Liz enjoys her job keeping the area a safe place to live in. (See also page 21)
Please feel free to join us at any of our meetings. You will be given a warm welcome. For more information, please contact Carole Elliott (533882) or Dorothy Wood (533704)
Dorothy Wood