Police to upgrade village contact points (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Police to upgrade village contact points

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Constabulary has begun modernising its Police Information Points - PiPs - across the Cotswolds.

PiPs were first introduced in 1997 as a way of exchanging information between police and the public on issues including crime, disorder, home security, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence and road safety.

The centres have been installed in many Cotswold communities, such as Temple Guiting, Chipping Campden, Willersey, Mickleton, Andoversford and Longborough.

They are run with a joint arrangement between the PiP manager - usually a shopkeeper or postmaster - and a police officer.

The manager offers a personal contact point and liaison between the police and community. The local police officer visits the PiP to exchange information, collect messages and respond to any non-urgent inquiries.

A re-evaluation of the PiP scheme identified a need for modernisation and all the 23 existing county PiPs are being given an overhaul to ensure they are fit for the purpose.

Chief Constable Dr Timothy Brain said: "The aim of PiPs is to enhance communication and contact between police and the public. They are all in well-established, popular community meeting centres, such as village shops and post offices.

"They do not aim to replace police stations, or our mobile police station, or more formal police contact. They simply offer an additional service for non- urgent matters of local concern.

"Members of the public can visit PiPs to pass their information on and they can receive information in return that should help them feel safer in their communities.

"They are particularly beneficial for those who are vulnerable, elderly, young, disabled, or less mobile, because they are on their doorstep and easy to access."

The PiP initiative is supported by the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council.

Stephen Wright, director of the council, said: "We welcome this updating of the PiPs. The initiative by the police force is an excellent extension of their two-way communication system with the public and they are to be congratulated."

The first of the improved PiPs was opened in Northleach last Friday. All of the others will be modernised over the coming year.