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POLICE in Douglas will take responsibility for the whole borough from next month, to provide 'dedicated policing' for each neighbourhood.
Currently, homes in the Douglas electoral wards of Athol and Hills — including Willaston, Tromode, Saddlestone and Pulrose — are covered by the Eastern Neighbourhood Policing Team based in Onchan.
But from April 1, these areas will come under the control of the Douglas Neighbourhood Policing Team (DNPT) based at Lord Street police station.
The boundary change will allow the DNPT to appoint officers as 'ward managers' for each of the six wards, to provide 'dedicated and accountable policing resources' for the whole town.
Inspector Ken Kneale of the DNPT said this would make it easier for residents and members of the Douglas Community Safety Partnership to work with police on 'key community issues'.
Inspector Kneale said: 'In the longer term, what we're looking at here is ensuring these ward managers become the visible and familiar public face of policing within those areas.'
The partnership was proposed three years ago by Douglas Council as the first voluntary scheme of its kind in the Island.
It is designed to improve the quality of life in the borough by getting public bodies to work together for a 'proud and positive Douglas'.
Two years ago, the council was first to sign a Cleaner, Safer, Greener charter for the town.
It was followed by the Douglas Development Partnership, the Department of Local Government and the Environment, the Department of Transport, the Department of Tourism and Leisure, the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service and Isle of Man Constabulary.
The partnership was officially established last May when Inspector Kneale was appointed to co-ordinate the work of these bodies in the borough.
He said it had already proved a success, for example in the development of Cafe Laare, the Department of Education's new youth club in Lord Street.
The partnership was busy working on other initiatives to reduce litter, anti-social behaviour and vandalism and tackle parking and transport issues.
But it would become more effective once the whole borough was brought within the DNPT boundary, he added.
Douglas Council leader David Christian said: 'There is a very real commitment by all partner agencies to work together for the benefit of the people of Douglas.
'I am confident that consolidation of the DNPT manned by community-based officers will lead to closer supervision and prompt resolution of local issues.
'Engaging in this partnership comes at a cost to the council, but it is an investment in quality of life which is already delivering measurable results.'
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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YOUR COMMENTS
This is great news if, and I say if we see more Bobbies on the beat getting to know the community they serve. The Northern Policing Team have done this with their Face book page, as well as being seen about more and this would be an idea to follow . Effective Policing depends upon effective communication and if people feel they know their local Bobbies then the better the communication and trust they have. I am sure that we all respect the Police and think that they do a great job, but we do need to see more of them.
KEV
Kev You will have to wait just a little longer before we see signs of the lesser spotted copper on his beat. To quote inspector K Kneale, the boundary change will allow the DNPT to appoint officers as 'ward managers' for each of the six wards, to provide 'dedicated and accountable policing resources' for the whole town. So now we have ward managers? which has promotion written all over it, promotion equals pay raise, get all that out of the way and the warmer weather arrives you will, if your lucky, spy that most rare and endangered species a "policeman".
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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