A lively public meeting in Maldon
Anti-Social Behaviour, drug abuse, police visibility and speeding were just some of the topics on the agenda at the Maldon Police and Crime Commissioners public meeting.
Residents attended the Lower Plume School in Maldon last Wednesday the 24th of June for the meeting host by Nick Alston.
Maldon’s District Commander Chief Insp Alan Cook gave an overview of all crime in the district. Chief Insp Cook spoke about the overall increase in crime and the force actions to tackle that rise. Maldon district has seen a reduction in crimes such as house burglary and Anti-Social Behaviour, with house burglary having decreased by 23.4%, 22 fewer offences comparing reports from May 2014 to April 2015 with May 2013 and April 2014, and Anti-Social Behaviour decreased by 2.8%, 34 fewer incidents than the previous year.
For details of crime in the district and context around how the burglary reduction and anti-social behaviour was delivered, please see the full briefing document
Spencer Clarke, Community Safety Partnership Manager for Chelmsford and Maldon districts, spoke about schemes and projects which the council are running to assist the police in crime reduction and prevention. One of the initiatives aiming to help reduce Anti-Social Behaviour funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner through the Community Safety Development Fund mentioned at the meeting was the Saltcoats Underpass Graffiti Project. Ex-offenders and the Youth Offending team have been helping to prepare the project following a school competition.
The Casualty Reduction Manager for Essex Police, Adam Pipe, spoke about residents’ concerns with speeding in the area. He explained that Essex Police road safety operations not only tackle offences such as speeding and the use of a mobile phone whilst driving; but often identify individuals actively involved in criminality.
The audience asked questions about subjects such as drug abuse, police visibility, and the future of police buildings in the district. The District Commander and the PCC confirmed that no final decisions about the future of the property estate have been made yet, but an announcement is likely to be made in the autumn. .
Nick Alston, Police and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said: “We had another good meeting in Maldon, with a constructive debate about topics such as road safety, police visibility and how the community and the force can work together to help keep the district a low crime area. There was at times a lively debate about public confidence in Essex Police, with questions asked directly of the force and me.”