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02/02/08 : Reading shows Jack Straw how we’re tackling crime
Justice Secretary Jack Straw MP visited Reading on Thursday January 31st to discuss policing and justice issues with local residents, police officers and PCSOs.
Jack Straw visited Orts Road along with local Councillor Tony Page, Lead Member for Community Action, who is also Reading's representative on the Thames Valley Police Authority, and Anneliese Dodds, Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Reading East.
Mr Straw met local residents from the Newtown Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) and the Orts Road Residents' Association to hear about some of the community strategies that have been put in place to tackle drug dealing and graffiti in the area. Also present at the meeting were the Revd Suzanne Knight, Chair of Newtown NAG, Val Farmer, Secretary of the Residents' Association, Supt Steve Kirk, Reading Area Police Commander and Newtown Area Inspector Kevin Sinfield.
After that Jack Straw visited Coley Park Community Centre to meet Martin Salter MP, local Councillor Paul Gittings and Debbie Watson, Labour Candidate for Minster Ward and talked to police and local residents about anti-social behaviour and vandalism in the area and how a local park was renovated as part of a restorative justice programme with young offenders.
Also present were local community worker Zala Hussain, Inspector Graham Dix, Police Sergeant Nigel Scarrat, area police officer Keith McMahon and PCSO Kevin Willis.
Cllr Tony Page said: "As a former Home Secretary Jack Straw had an opportunity to see how some of his policies are working here in Reading with the deployment of Police Community Support Officers and the use of anti-social behaviour orders. It's also important that local people have an opportunity to meet the Justice Secretary face to face and put their ideas to him on how our neighbourhoods can be made safer."
Minster’s Paul Gittings added: "I was very keen to show Jack Straw how neighbourhood policing, including PCSOs and community wardens, have had an impact on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in Coley Park."
Reading West MP, Martin Salter, said: "Reading has its fair share of problems particularly with drug related crime but there are some good stories to tell in places like Coley Park and Newtown, where local people have come together to develop strategies to tackle criminality and disorder. Crime across the town has dropped by 14% over the last 3 years with 30% decreases in vehicle crime, burglary and robbery. However we still have a problem with crimes of violence which Jack Straw needs to hear about".
Anneliese Dodds, Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Reading East said: "I’ve worked hard to inform local residents about Reading's new policing arrangements. The new 'neighbourhood action groups' are putting local people's priorities first - and we're already seeing the benefits".
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