Drivers caught in road safety blitz

North Yorkshire Police road safety campaign - Deputy Chief Constable Adam Briggs said of Operation Hellcal: "We have started as we mean to go on - North Yorkshire's officers are using a tough enforcement policy to drive down a totally unacceptable accident rate."

Mr Briggs appears to be a good bloke, what bobbies would call a Coppers Copper and, it's likely he will be a breath of fresh air to the force after his recent appointment by all accounts. However, since the government enforced split of resources into separate functionality i.e. Response Officers and Neighbourhood Teams, NYP (like other forces) is painfully thin on the ground for operational 24/7 response policing. Our Thin Blue Line is definitely thinner on a day to day operational basis than it was over 20 years ago, despite the increases in establishment.

Now I'm all for modernisation and smarter working, especially when you consider the faster pace of life and the increasing technicality of crime but we are failing our customers! Yes, people are worried about crimes of violence and burglary etc. and, traveling criminals tend to have a field day with rural force areas who have limited resources. Chances of them getting their collar felt is often slim. Unless that is special targeted operations are implemented but these are only temporary. They have a knock on effect upon the availability of resources to respond to the day to day mundane stuff.

As a consequence Mrs Miggins who has been terrorised by local youths for the last week, has to wait several days (or more) after her report before anyone is available to see her and try to bottom the problem. Where is the quality of service there?

Despite the report 24/7 Response Policing in the Modern Police Organisation – Views from the Frontline commissioned by the Police Federation and a fair bit of media coverage things are not improving.

Come on Chief Constable's, time to stand up to the politicians... Let's make them understand the One Size Fits All Neighborhood Policing initiatives have done more harm than good!