Local police assisted Huyton Today reporters with their
enquiries recently, during an interview at Huyton Police Station!
Robert Dooley, Antonia Kervin, Mandy Clark and Lyndsey McIntyre grilled
PC Steve Taylor about the Community Police section based in Lathom Road Police Station.
First of all, what exactly is a Community Policeman?
"A Community Policeman is like any other police officer within the Merseyside Police. The training's the same. We normally go on foot patrol but we can request a police vehicle if we need it. We can get more deeply involved with the community than conventional police who are constrained by time when solving problems."
Why do we need Community Police?
"Chiefly so that the pressures of standard policing can be put to one side allowing time to deal with problems and provide support in a more personal way. Regular police officers have to go around from job to job non-stop, but the Community Police Officer is able to follow up problems to ensure they don't happen again."
Who are the other people you work with?
"I work from the Community Police Office in Huyton. There are seven of us in the office plus the sergeant who works for Huyton, plus a number of Community Policemen at Kirkby, Halewood and Prescot. I also work with members of the public. You name them - we work with them! One of our important roles is in local schools, where we work at developing a relationship with the youth of today. That way we can tackle the problem of teenage offenders at an early age and maybe assert a form of discipline and respect for the police force as a whole. We also go to old people's homes and places like that. We can also go in to temporary accommodation where we sometimes get kids who are having problems. We also have strong links with Knowsley Council"
Is it children who chiefly get into trouble?
"Sadly it does seem that the majority of problems in the Knowsley area are caused by teenagers. However, it can also be kids from an early age: eight, nine, ten, sometimes right the way up to late teens and early twenties. The main problem is disorder, such as petty damage. We have a policy that means when an individual is causing a problem, we can avoid the courts by contacting the Council who will send out a letter basically saying "if you cause a problem, we won't have you living here any more."
Is the Community Police section worthwhile?
"A lot of people think that Community Policing is the way forward in Knowsley. For the past 10 to 15 years we haven't really been communicating with the people. Criminal disorder has been rising and the police force agrees that we have to form bonds with the community and tackle the problem of crime at its core."
Do you think Community Police are making a difference?
"Definitely. I've been in Mosscroft for around six months. At first there were a lot of repeat offenders, the same faces day in and day out. We had one woman who had a problem in January, by March it had been sorted out. Working as a standard policeman, I could have only stopped any trouble temporarily - now I feel I can make a real difference in the community."
Our community officers are there to help you, a real link between the police and the community.
| Constable | 7066 | Brian Dyson | Longview and Bakers Green | Constable | 7260 | Chris Unwin | Western Ave/Roby/Bowring | Constable | 7803 | Steve Taylor | Mosscroft/Pluckington/Hag | Constable | 7941 | Mark Jones | St Johns/Paramount | Constable | 6015 | Mick McGrail | Stockbridge Village | Constable | 7903 | Brendan Boyce | Hillside | Constable | 1509 | Debbie Harthil | Fincham/Page Moss |
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