Police to face flak on crime (From This Is Wiltshire)

Police are set to come under fire at Pewsey’s annual parish meeting when council chairman Bob Woodward will criticise a lack of success on anti-social behaviour and criminal damage.

Coun Woodward will even suggest the village sets up a regular volunteer patrols of the play areas and green spaces to deter vandals and try to catch them in the act.

At Tuesday’s parish council meeting Coun Woodward lambasted police for having no one present to give the monthly crime report.

Coun Woodward said it the report contained crime facts already circulated and, he said, excuses, for why vandals or those involved in anti-social behaviour were not apprehended.

Coun Woodward said: “I suggest we think about setting up a ParkWatch scheme with volunteer members of the public walking around problem areas.”

Insp Ron Peach, the police commander for Pewsey, Marlborough and Devizes, said “We can’t get to every meeting because of the large number of parish councils but we do try to get to them at least once every quarter.”

He said voluntary patrols had been successfully pioneered in places including Salisbury, where street wardens patrol in clearly marked tabards, adding: “We find this has had a dramatic effect on anti-social behaviour.”

The meeting is to take place at 7pm on Tuesday at the Bouverie Hall.