Police call for volunteers

POLICE are looking for volunteers to help them with crime

prevention across North Hertfordshire.

Crime prevention volunteers, who do not work with members of the public unless introduced to them by police officers, assist the police with a variety of operational activities in an attempt to cut crime.

Examples of work done by volunteers include participating in Operation Saturnalia, where since 2003 hundreds of free crime prevention surveys have been carried out for residents to help them make their homes and contents safe.

Other work includes responding to specific crime trends.

At a recent exercise on giving out advice about preventing purse-dipping outside Morrisons in Letchworth GC, the team of volunteers deterred a group of purse-dippers. The volunteers alerted police officers who arrested members of the group.

A new batch of volunteers recently had their induction at Letchworth Police Station which was hosted by Chief Inspector David Partridge.

Ch Insp Partridge said: "Volunteers are an invaluable asset to Hertfordshire Constabulary and I cannot praise highly enough the role that North Herts Crime Prevention Panel and their Crime Prevention Volunteers play within our community."

The latest set of statistics supplied by Hertfordshire Constabulary show crime has fallen in North Hertfordshire.

The number of crimes which took place between April 2006 and mid-February 2007 was down by 405 when compared to the same time period the previous year.

The biggest decrease was robbery, which was down by 31.6 per cent, burglary which was down by 12.4 per cent and motor vehicle crime, which was down by 10.4 percent.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, or you would like more information about the scheme, please contact the volunteer coordinator Sally Russell on 01438 757515.