The letter sent by a Jarrow councillor calling on the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner to tackle problems in his neighbourhood

This is the full letter sent by a councillor calling for a new crime chief to tackle problems in his neighbourhood.
(l-r) PCC Kim McGuinness and Councillor Paul Milburn(l-r) PCC Kim McGuinness and Councillor Paul Milburn
(l-r) PCC Kim McGuinness and Councillor Paul Milburn

Independent Primrose councillor Paul Milburn has called on the new Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner to ‘walk the walk’ and tackle drugs, antisocial behaviour and other problems in Jarrow.

This is his letter in full:

Dear Kim,

In the light of your recent election success and more importantly, your Election Address, I would like to bring your attention to the final paragraph.

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“The police need to be visible on our streets and be connected to our communities and able to respond to local priorities. I will put the voice of our communities at the centre of the Police Force”.

As an Independent Councillor for Jarrow’s Primrose Ward, I would first of all like to ask you how in fact you intend to make the transitional change from what seems to be a “fire fighting responsive” mode to an intelligence based proactive-type deterrent. I would argue that the officers not only need “to be visible on our streets” but also looking in the correct areas.

I have two main areas of concern within Primrose Ward, firstly the lawless practice of illegal motorcycles causing havoc and risk of serious injury to the public, within our greenspace and parks. I don’t expect for one minute for the officers to try and catch these offenders by giving chase in a patrol car, however I do expect an up to date reporting system in place, to allow the communities to report, and upload digital evidence to help catch these offenders and deter this dangerous activity.

My second concern is the drug taking habits of our young people again in our greenspace areas, which is probably the most worrying in the long term. This practice is widely evident by the number of discarded plastic bottles in and around our streams and rivers, the bottles are filled with water from the streams, and being used as an inhaler for the cannabis smoke. Again, I would argue that you are unlikely to see these activities on “our streets”. The officers need to be looking in the right areas, namely in our parks next to the streams.

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I speak to Community groups every day and this is what they tell me about. They are fed up with ringing 101 and due to meagre Police resources, the offenders are able to leave the area unhindered. The over-riding factor is also in most cases, the perpetrators don’t fear being caught and don’t care about the consequences.

Can I ask you to consider using this Ward as a pilot scheme to bring the Police and Community closer together. Not just by being visible, but by engagement of the public and encouraging them to report via an up to date, easy to use system. Through regular meetings to give the public the information to pressurise the Council into making changes that will help your officers. Installation of basic camera systems and improved security to public areas and parklands, are just two examples of what I’m talking about.

I hope you give this due consideration in an effort to return our Ward from this increasingly lawless society to a place of relative peace and mutual respect.