Top cop will focus on the community

Nov 19 2008 by Charlie Rowney, Wishaw Press

WISHAW police’s new top cop Superintendent Marshall Pretswell knows everything there is to know about policing the streets effectively.

With 28 years of policing under his belt, Supt Pretswell has experienced every aspect – from pounding the beat to community policing and shift management.

Now Supt Pretswell intends to use that experience to engage with communities in a bid to solve and prevent crime in the area.

“Our main priority is community policing,” he said this week.

“There are a number of force-wide priorities such as violence reduction, serious and organised crime, child protection and anti-terrorism.

“But my main focus in Wishaw, Motherwell and Bellshill is community policing.

“There will be more police on the streets in our communities, both on foot and on bicycle patrols.

“I want to encourage contact and engagement with members of the community.

“Local people, residents groups, community councils, schools, everyone; they all provide valuable information and I would like to encourage that.

“Members of the community are like extra eyes and ears for the police.”

Strathclyde Police have invested a great deal of cash in providing extra police officers.

New Chief Constable Steven House has said he intends to recruit around 1000 extra officers to police the streets.

It is expected around 80 of the probationary officers, who are currently undergoing a tough 14-week training course, will be policing the streets of Wishaw and also the surrounding area.

Supt Pretswell wants to encourage members of the public to confide in their community police officers and he says Crimestoppers is a valuable resource.

He continued: “Lots of people believe Crimestoppers is a police organisation, but it’s actually a charity.

“I would encourage people to contact us if they have any information to pass on.

“However, if people feel they don’t want to do that, they can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 in complete confidence and anonymity.”

COPS IN THE COMMUNITY: bicycle patrollers, Constables Stuart Murray and Alyson Duncan, who are pictured on the right, are just two of the police officers Supt Marshall Pretswell intends to base within communities across Wishaw in a bid to engage effectively with local people in a bid to cut crime.JDWSH141108wishawpolice-03