Praise For Bedfordshire Police
Praise For Bedfordshire Police
South West Bedfordshire MP, Andrew Selous, today praised the massive 67% reduction in crime achieved in Central Bedfordshire over the last 7 months of 2011. Andrew Selous went out with Bedfordshire Police officers on patrol in Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable last Friday evening when he learnt of this great improvement in the crime figures. He was also told about the “Police Station Exclusion Policy” brought in by Inspector Frank Donnelly to make sure as many police officers as possible are out on the streets rather than in the police station. This policy is particularly applied during the darker evenings from the Autumn to the Spring when most burglaries occur.
Andrew Selous said several years ago I was the victim of crime when my briefcase was stolen from my car in Leighton Buzzard. When I went into the police station to report the crime I was surprised to see how many police officers were in the police station. Last Friday I saw very few officers in the Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable or Biggleswade police stations. I thoroughly commend Bedfordshire Police on this excellent policy.
The exchange in Hansard between Andrew Selous MP and the Leader of the House, Sir George Young MP on Thursday 12 January 2012 was as follows: Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire) Could we have a debate on value for money and effectiveness in local policing, so that other police forces can learn from the example of Bedfordshire police, which has just cut crime by 67%? We could learn about the police station exclusion policy of inspectors such as Frank Donnelly, who has made sure that officers are out catching criminals and not inside police stations.
Sir George Young (Leader of the House): I commend the work of Inspector Frank Donnelly, who has shown that, within the challenging financial settlement that police authorities have had to live with, it is possible to reduce crime by getting officers out of the station and on to the streets. I was delighted to hear of the reduction in crime in my hon. Friend’s constituency, and I hope the example of Frank Donnelly will be copied elsewhere.