Express & Star comment: People want to feel safe, how can this happen when police appear to be withdrawing?
Like many other areas of the country, the West Midlands is suffering from a rise in crime that shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Violent crime – including murders, attacks with guns and knives, robberies and sexual assaults – are all up by double-digit figures, according to the latest set of official statistics.
Yet far from giving the public reassurances that they are on top of this desperate situation, the force’s top brass appear intent on ploughing a path that is leaving many people disillusioned.
Hot on the heels of a controversial new policy that will see drug addicts given free heroin, the region’s Labour police and crime commissioner has today announced proposals for a new batch of police station closures.
In all 24 buildings will go as part of the latest review of the police estate.
According to David Jamieson, the £5 million saved by the move will protect 100 police officer posts.
This is all well and good, but as we recently revealed in this newspaper, the force is axing frontline officers and spending millions on office staff.
Prevent
Mr Jamieson remains highly respected, but there are those who remain unconvinced about the PCC role.
His complaints about funding cuts do nothing to address the perception that crime is out of control.
When a police base closes, it removes the presence of the force from the community.
It is becoming more and more difficult to find a bobby on the beat.
The job of the police is not just to react to crime, it is to prevent crime from taking place.
How our police are expected to do that when the majority of them are hunched behind desks is anyone’s guess.
Mr Jamieson would be wise to bear in mind that there is a widely held view about those in charge of the region’s police force that is gathering momentum.
It is that our officers are not being given the chance to fight crime because of the questionable policies of those at the top.
People want to see a reduction in crime. They want to feel safe in their communities.
How can this possibly happen when the police appear to be pulling out?
