Paperwork will not bog down new PCs, vows officer

Insp Tim Scott said community-based officers had time to be more proactive

New community police officers in Suffolk would not get "bogged down" with paperwork, an inspector vowed.

The county's police force was allocated £1.8m to fund an extra 26 constables on the beat.

Insp Tim Scott invited residents to lead their local policing agenda by raising concerns with officers.

It came as Suffolk Police Federation chairman Darren Harris warned the new hires were a "sticking plaster" solution to retention issues faced by the force.

The money was awarded as part of a government drive for more visible policing, with a pot of £200m being dished out nationally.

In the Suffolk town of Newmarket, it would help to pay for two more community police officers, bringing its total up to five.

Management at the Guineas Shopping Centre had called for more patrols due to "persistent shoplifting and aggression" faced by tenants.

People working in Newmarket told the BBC they wanted to see more officers on the beat

Natalie Robinson, from Love Newmarket BID, welcomed the pending arrival of new officers.

"Seeing police officers on the ground, going into those businesses and talking about issues does make a real impact," she added.

Some of the community-based officers will be new recruits, while others will be redeployed from elsewhere in the force.

Insp Scott said they would be "specifically ring-fenced for highly visible policing" and therefore freed up from paperwork.

"They're not bogged down, they've got the time to proactively get out into the community," he insisted.

'Gaping wound'

However, Mr Harris remained cautious about wider issues faced by the force.

"Where are these officers going to come from, because we're short of numbers as it is?," he asked.

"Retention of existing officers is something the federation is continually highlighting and officers leaving the profession is a serious concern."

He welcomed the investment but warned: "I feel like they're just sticking a plaster on a gaping wound."