POLICE Community Support Officers are out on the beat around East Cambridgeshire and part of a 6,000 strong force nation-wide. The Government intends to increase the national figure to around 24,000 by 2008 providing highly visible patrols to reassure the

POLICE Community Support Officers are out on the beat around East Cambridgeshire and part of a 6,000 strong force nation-wide.

The Government intends to increase the national figure to around 24,000 by 2008 providing highly visible patrols to reassure the public across the country.

PCSOs support police officers and have a range of powers which allow them to deal with anti social behaviour and low-level crime.

There are eight covering East Cambridgeshire with another joining their ranks soon.

After undergoing an initial four-week training course they are provided with ongoing support training and development and are required to work a flexible shift pattern between 8am and midnight.

They will also work weekends and some bank holidays and must complete 12 months' probation.

Ely City Council was one of the first in the county to agree to fund the scheme and under the partnership agreement is able to ask PCSO Alun Bradshaw to undertake particular tasks each month.

It has praised the way in which the pioneering partnership with the neighbourhood police is working in a letter to Cambridgeshire's Chief Constable Julie Spence.

Ely mayor Cllr Bryant Watson told her: "We feel that we have now established a good working relationship with our extremely able officer and Ely Police Station. The PCSO's presence is certainly having a positive impact on the city, both to deter anti-social behaviour and to reassure the general population."

He said the partnership agreement had been particularly successful in targeting crime, vandalism and parking problems in various parts of the city.

"We're convinced that this neighbourhood policing initiative is working and deserves support from everyone," added Cllr Watson, who called on residents to tell the council about local problems if they did not want to go directly to the police.

"We will pass on information through our tasking requests or directly to a senior officer," he said.

Since the introduction of PCSOs nationally the feeling of safety among residents has improved significantly and levels of concern over specified types of crime have dropped, a survey revealed.

Contact: Ely City Council at 72 Market Street, Ely. Tel: 01353 661016 or by email at:

cityofelycouncil@tiscali.co.uk. Cllr Watson: 01353 666889.

# THE three PCSOs working on the South Neighbourhood Beat give an insight into their work over the last month.

Sue Loaker - PCSO for Bottisham and villages.

I am newly appointed to this area and have spent the last month building relations with the local community. I have visited primary schools and Bottisham Village College as well as talking to local residents and parish clerks to identify areas of concern. I look forward to meeting more of you in the months ahead.

Jonathan Hall - PCSO for Burwell.

The new year has been rather quiet so far probably due to the cold weather we are experiencing. Increased patrols in the shopping area of Burwell have stopped local youths congregating outside and playing with the trolleys. Also minor shoplifting has also ceased. Later this month, I shall be teaming up with a local councillor to see if anything can be done on the problem areas involving motor vehicles.

Gaynor Foster - PCSO for Soham and villages

During January I have been targeting anti-social behaviour in Soham. However, I have been paying particular attention to Pratt Street, near the Weatheralls Primary School and Medical Centre in response to local residents' concerns. I have made personal visits to the school and medical centre, obtaining details and giving advice. Extra patrols have been conducted with all stop/search forms and GAP forms (Guardian Awareness Programme) being issued where appropriate.

Sergeant Nigel Leadbetter

South Neighbourhood Beat

0845 4564 564 (ex 6640)

On Your Beat

A new monthly column to keep you in touch with policing matters

DURING the last month as a team we have been actively engaging with the communities which form part of our neighbourhood area.

In an attempt to deliver policing solutions and address local issues of concern we have introduced local police surgeries in most of our neighbourhood. The idea behind these surgeries is to be more accessible to the public and to understand the issues that are causing concern.

In order for us as a team to address these issues it is of vital importance that we are made aware of problems that you would like to see us tackling. From most of the feedback that we have received at our surgeries so far it appears that speeding motorists are of major concern in the your areas.

Having received this information we have undertaken a series of speed enforcement checks in the neighbourhood and several speeding motorists are both £60 lighter in their pockets and three points heavier on their licences. Our surgeries are advertised and staffed by a member of the neighbourhood team. Please come along and express your views and concerns and meet your local officers.

Sergeant Alan Savill

North Neighbourhood

Tel. 01353 656640

08454 564564 ext 6640

Mobex 7110833

e-mail alan.savill@cambs.

pnn.police.uk