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with 'SWINDON NEWS'
10:55am Tuesday 20th May 2008
"I WANT Wiltshire to be the safest county in the UK in terms of violent crime."
That's the bold assertion of the county's new police chief constable, who says this goal is at the top of his priorities.
Brian Moore was appointed chief constable for Wiltshire Police in January this year. Previously he was deputy chief constable in Surrey, and having joined the force in 1975, he has served with the Lancashire Constabulary as well as the Metropolitan Police.
At the time of his appointment, Mr Moore said: "Wiltshire Police is a force that is already on the way back up. It is very interesting for me as Wiltshire has long vied with Surrey for the position of the safest county in England.
"It is the firm intent of my new colleagues and myself to have this force back where it belongs as soon as we can."
But the new police chief has taken this a step further and this week announced his intention to see the force at the top of the tree when it comes to safety.
"There is no reason why Wiltshire cannot be the safest county for violent crime in the UK. You only have to speak to the victims of violent crime to understand how it has changed their lives. They are now scared to go out and I think that is awful and wrong.
"So I now want to go toe-to-toe with those violent thugs and win."
Mr Moore said that Wiltshire was currently ranked in the top 10 of the safest counties, but that it could cut violent crime significantly by the police working with local agencies.
He said: "It will be hard work to achieve the goal as the safest county for violence in the country, but it will be a great achievement."
Domestic abuse was one of the key areas, which Wiltshire Police would be targeting. It was vital people felt safe in their own homes and safe on the streets of the county, he added.
It was also about creating safer environments for people to live, and Mr Moore mentioned the prostitution issues in Swindon as another key target. "It is unacceptable," he said.
While the chief constable admitted he would have no extra money to push forward the changes, unless people were prepared to pay more from police authority precepts, he admitted that the police would have to be smarter in using their resources to tackle violent crime.
He called on local communities to get involved in the fight against crime and also in other initiatives to protect their communities such as community speed watch schemes and to recruit more special constables.
NPB, Swindon says...
11:22am Tue 20 May 08
Chowmai, swindon says...
11:53am Tue 20 May 08
Russ The Manc, Swindon says...
11:58am Tue 20 May 08
MFM, Wiltshire says...
12:03pm Tue 20 May 08
Robert Feal-Martinez, Swindon says...
12:04pm Tue 20 May 08
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
12:27pm Tue 20 May 08
Chowmai wrote:you have seen changes? which one are you talking about?
Having met the new Chief Constable and spoken to him at some length about the problems he faces and his vision for the future of Wiltshire Constabulary I was impressed by his honesty candour and determination to bring about change. I have no doubt that the usual dogmatic vocalists of the comments section will rave about stagnation and the inability to change things. But I have seen first hand some of the things this man has already changed for the better. I wish him every success and every support of the people who he and his officers work so hard, against all sorts of problems and diversity face.
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
12:30pm Tue 20 May 08
Robert Feal-Martinez wrote:I tell you, I will measure success on the number of police cruisers and officers I see in the town and at the moment I see maybe 1 car / day. Thats not reassuring where are police officers day and night and how many are beating the street? stop penpushers and get them out on the streets
Chowmai, I'm sure there's not a poster on here that wants anything more than success, however talk is cheap. We all have visions, whether those visions become reality in Policing terms can be easily measured lets wait a year and see the figures. It is then the time to start talking about success.
dindangdo, swindon says...
12:41pm Tue 20 May 08
bored, says...
1:58pm Tue 20 May 08
NIGE, PURTON says...
2:06pm Tue 20 May 08
Bobsyouruncle, Swindon says...
2:34pm Tue 20 May 08
Russ The Manc, Swindon says...
2:44pm Tue 20 May 08
Russ The Manc, Swindon says...
2:45pm Tue 20 May 08
Grumpy, Swindon says...
2:47pm Tue 20 May 08
Frontier(s), says...
3:04pm Tue 20 May 08
NIGE, PURTON says...
3:23pm Tue 20 May 08
Bobsyouruncle wrote:Quite reasonable behaviour by whoever did it
I've lived in Swindon all my life and I've only ever been on the receiving end of violent/threatening behaviour once. That was in Purton. Sorry Nige.
Mick out West, West Swindon says...
3:30pm Tue 20 May 08
MFM wrote:No, sorry can't agree, if its illegal bust it.
Stop wasting time busting pot smokers is my advice!!
wendy, swindon says...
3:52pm Tue 20 May 08
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
4:00pm Tue 20 May 08
wendy wrote:are you seriously saying that there are only 6 Police officers covering Swindon on Week end nights? 6 officers for a quarter of a million people?
I can never understand why people keep banging on about having police walking the streets, it's totally impractical, how much ground can you cover on foot, ridiculous! they do have 2 of their 6 officers on foot in the town centre on Fri/Sat nights, if they put the other 4 on foot how on earth could they respond to 999 calls! you want them to get tough, then moan if they do, you want them free from paperwork, but then tell them to arrest everyone all carrying 2 files of paperwork per arrest. I dont think anyone realises just how few officers we have on duty at any one time, I agree we need more officers and less PCSO's, maybe then we could spare some to do your walking!Personally, if I needed one of our few stretched officers in the night, I would prefer they had a car to respond to me, than to have to walk!The traffic police are a seperate team, to tackle the motorist and if you are a motorist and breaking the law, what makes you exempt to the hoodie in the town? I think our small team of officers do ok with the resources and powers available to them, if the courts would back them up instead of work against them, the streets would be safer still. It's not bad in Swindon, considering the amount of officers we have, most of them do a good job and are passionate about their work, it's a shame they face such hostility every day I would have given up long ago if I were them! I agree the yobs should do national service, that would sort them out, no court to protect them there!
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
4:09pm Tue 20 May 08
wendy wrote:I agree yobs and girls should do national service. That take few bad drivers off the roads for some time too
I can never understand why people keep banging on about having police walking the streets, it's totally impractical, how much ground can you cover on foot, ridiculous! they do have 2 of their 6 officers on foot in the town centre on Fri/Sat nights, if they put the other 4 on foot how on earth could they respond to 999 calls! you want them to get tough, then moan if they do, you want them free from paperwork, but then tell them to arrest everyone all carrying 2 files of paperwork per arrest. I dont think anyone realises just how few officers we have on duty at any one time, I agree we need more officers and less PCSO's, maybe then we could spare some to do your walking!Personally, if I needed one of our few stretched officers in the night, I would prefer they had a car to respond to me, than to have to walk!The traffic police are a seperate team, to tackle the motorist and if you are a motorist and breaking the law, what makes you exempt to the hoodie in the town? I think our small team of officers do ok with the resources and powers available to them, if the courts would back them up instead of work against them, the streets would be safer still. It's not bad in Swindon, considering the amount of officers we have, most of them do a good job and are passionate about their work, it's a shame they face such hostility every day I would have given up long ago if I were them! I agree the yobs should do national service, that would sort them out, no court to protect them there!
wendy, swindon says...
4:14pm Tue 20 May 08
Robert Feal-Martinez, Swindon says...
4:20pm Tue 20 May 08
emmylou83, Stratton says...
4:25pm Tue 20 May 08
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
4:36pm Tue 20 May 08
emmylou83 wrote:you want real police go and have a look at the Southafrican police. you wouldn't mess about even after 6 pints down
Ummm if you go out on a saturday night in town there are alot more than 6 officers there and I mean proper ones not pretend ones
BWB, SWINDON says...
4:40pm Tue 20 May 08
wendy, swindon says...
4:43pm Tue 20 May 08
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
4:46pm Tue 20 May 08
BWB wrote:Police and Justice are fighting each others, even if the Courts side with the Police and the Citizens (hardly ever happens) there is nowhere for criminals to be jailed, because Labours for the last 10 years been building Hospitals and Schools and Flats!
WENDY Best comment made so far. I agree with Grumpy also. Courts must start backing the Police by dealing out PROPER sentences. And NOT listen to the sob stories made by their legal representatives. We all know who that is. (r.r).
wendy, swindon says...
4:46pm Tue 20 May 08
wendy, swindon says...
4:49pm Tue 20 May 08
emmylou83, Stratton says...
4:49pm Tue 20 May 08
wendy wrote:Even if it is back up they are still there, if I remember on Saturday I'll shall count them and ask them where they are from :)
BWB, thank you. Emmylou, there may be back up called in from other areas, H/Worth/Bassett etc, or Traffic, but believe me I know, 6 officers is average!
Taxpower, Swinetown says...
4:57pm Tue 20 May 08
wendy wrote:totally agree, If I was a PC and saw my catch being let off by the courts time after time, I wouldn't be too motivated. It is a great point to make that the Justice system isn't backing the Police, People and Politicians make the police responsible but at the end of the day, It is the judges that are failing us
Taxpower, another nail on the head! whats the point in them wasting time arresting, when if the court do have a funny five mins, there would be no room at the Inn !!
merv, swindon says...
5:13pm Tue 20 May 08
WTF?, Swindon says...
6:42pm Tue 20 May 08
Police chief: I want to cut crime
WTF?, Swindon says...
6:43pm Tue 20 May 08
merv wrote:Have you read that back to yourself?
violent crime so i take they will be looking a doormen them in lets say said so areas mr brain moore has ignored victims of violent crime and i should know after the damage a doorman caused i hope mr moore reads this he will know who i am
john c, swindon says...
6:50pm Tue 20 May 08
merv wrote:Please will someone translate this for me?
violent crime so i take they will be looking a doormen them in lets say said so areas mr brain moore has ignored victims of violent crime and i should know after the damage a doorman caused i hope mr moore reads this he will know who i am
Captain Sensible, Near Swindon says...
7:15pm Tue 20 May 08
Jacko, swindon area says...
8:13pm Tue 20 May 08
Jacko, swindon area says...
8:20pm Tue 20 May 08
merv, swindon says...
9:03am Wed 21 May 08
Robert Feal-Martinez, Swindon says...
9:07am Wed 21 May 08
Robert Feal-Martinez, Swindon says...
9:41am Wed 21 May 08
Robert Feal-Martinez, Swindon says...
9:42am Wed 21 May 08
wendy, swindon says...
10:57am Wed 21 May 08
MrRandom, on your PC says...
11:15am Wed 21 May 08
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Robert Feal-Martinez, Swindon says...
11:14am Tue 20 May 08