A Bedford borough councillor has accused police of underplaying the town’s drug problem and said residents no longer feel safe.
Bedford Borough cllr Marc Frost (Wilstead/Conservative) was speaking at last night’s Extraordinary Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel Meeting (25 June).
One of the meeting’s agenda items was the letter Bedford mayor Tom Wootton (Conservative) sent to the chief constable warning that the borough is facing a “public order crisis” that the police are “failing to contain”.
Read: Mayor says Bedford town centres ‘under siege’ by crime in letter to police chief constable
Clr Frost said: “I think we all know that crime in Bedford is spiralling. “Our residents don’t feel safe, businesses feel that they are under siege – they’re underreporting shoplifting and other things,” he said.
He challenged Bedfordshire’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) John Tizard on whether he accepted that crime was rising, particularly in areas like vehicle theft and sexual offences.
Mr Tizard replied: “Crime is rising in Bedford, as it is across the country. But it is not rising in Bedfordshire overall faster than it is in the rest of the country, but it is rising in different crime areas.”
Reality
Cllr Frost then questioned the reliability of local crime statistics, pointing to data suggesting Bedford is “practically drug-free”.
“Have you challenged the chief constable on this staggering gap between reality and reporting?” he asked.
“Because the statistics show low numbers of drug crime… but you’ve only got to walk from here [Borough Hall] to the river and see half a dozen people either smoking weed or dealing.”
The PCC responded: “There is a drug problem in Bedford, as there is elsewhere.”
Read: Bedford business owner tells Bedfordshire Police ‘tackle crime or we’ll do it ourselves’
He said the police would be working closely with Bedford Borough Council over the summer to tackle both drug and alcohol abuse.
“To tackle them, you need services from public health to support people, to educate, and also to support those who are using the drugs. The reality is you can’t arrest your way through that,” he added.
Mr Tizard acknowledged that the perception of safety was as important as the data.
“If you don’t feel safe, you’re not safe,” he said. “I walk around Bedford town centre and I know there are problems there. To tackle them requires a collaborative approach between the council, the police, and other agencies.”
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
