By Gary Lemal
At Wednesday evening’s Police And Communities Together (PACT) meeting new Sergeant James Preston urged people to report all crime – even small crimes, along with suspicious behaviour.
The reports will help form a bigger picture of the pattern crimes. These can then be used to help track down perpetrators and in sentencing.
Sgt Preston said if you see a crime taking place dial 999 immediately. The 999 number should also be used if there is an imminent or ongoing threat to safety. For non-emergencies call 101. West Yorkshire Police encourage us to report crime using Live Chat. Start a live chat here.
The meeting, held in Pudsey Wellbeing Centre, heard that in summer doors and windows are often left open. We need to make sure that thieves cannot just walk into our homes and take things, hand bags and car keys are particular targets. Make sure doors and accessible windows are locked at night.
Quite a number of Pudsey retailers have been victims of shoplifting, and Sgt Preston urged shop managers to report all instances to help build a picture and allow greater resources to be put towards this.
It is now a crime if a shop worker feels threatened or is intimidated. A new law has been introduced making it a specific crime to threaten or assault a shop worker. The Government has also introduced a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee meaning all crimes should have a ‘timely response’.
The new crime and policing bill, which is currently going through the House Of Lords, aims to further support victims and give greater police powers.
An area of concern for many residents of Pudsey and elsewhere are youngsters on electric motorbikes, often driving dangerously. A gentleman at the PACT meeting had come because of an incident where he and his family narrowly avoided serious injury with an E-bike rider.
Here is a rough guide to what is allowed:
- A bicycle is legal as is an unpowered scooter but they should not be used in pedestrian areas including pavements, no insurance is required.
- Electric scooters are not legal except as part of a scheme run on behalf of a local authority. Our nearest scheme is in York.
- E-bike regulations require e-bikes to have pedals that can propel the bike, an electric motor of up to 250 watts, and electrical assistance that cuts off when the speed reaches 15.5 mph (25 km/h).
- All other, more powerful vehicles must be road-legal, have number plates and insurance. In most cases a driving test should have been passed.
Attendees at the meeting were told that illegal vehicles will be seized and then crushed.
- The next Pudsey Ward PACT meeting will be on Wednesday, 3 September at 7pm in the Wellbeing Centre, Robin Lane.
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Maybe I could give some advice to Sergeant Preston about the attitude of most of the Police officers you come across whilst out and about, and indeed the control room staff when you call 101. Immediately the first response is Oh thats nothing to do with me, its the council, or its a totally different Police section. Its really offputting, and very often they’re wrong, it is something to do with them, something they eventually admit if you persist. But its hard work and it seems that they always just want to bat the problem off to someone else and cant be bothered helping you. This attitude from Officers and Police staff is why people don’t bother to report things to the Police, and why so many people’s view is that the Police never do anything. A more constructive and helpful response would do wonders, they really are their own worst enemy.