MP joins police for a typical Saturday night

Thursday, 26, Nov 2009 12:00

North East Bedfordshire MP Alistair Burt was found in the back of a police car last Saturday night – but the MP was only finding out more about how rural crime was being dealt with by his local force. Mr Burt joined two officers from 8pm till midnight to see how they did their job, and what pressures were impacting on them and his rural constituents throughout the county.

‘We had a busy few hours, from being on our way to respond to concerns about possible theft at a shop when stopping to deal with a car in a ditch in atrocious weather; down to Greyfriars Police Station following up on a possible drink-driving case, then out in one of our villages trying to trace a car which had driven off following a collision with another. All the time the radio was keeping officers in touch with each other whilst they dealt with any new concerns suddenly coming up.

I was interested to hear that a new form of processing those detained or arrested was being piloted to see if it freed up officers to spend more time available to the public rather than being caught up in paperwork, a bugbear both of the police and all of us, and long overdue for change.

I encouraged officers to continue to keep closely in touch with local parish councils in rural communities, to make clear the visibility of police and so that they could be as closely connected as possible to what was occurring in their patch. But I was impressed with their clear commitment to the people they serve, and how they dealt with the many pressures upon them. The time was useful for my own insights as to how policy makers can help them help the public, and I am sure I spoke for all my constituents when I thanked them for what they do for us.’