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We need you to be our eyes and ears

Sue Carr
14/ 4/2005

VOLUNTEERS are urgently needed to help combat crime in Gamesley.

Police are appealing for more Neighbourhood Watch volunteers and officers have been delivering leaflets door-to-door this week in a bid to drum up support.

Chief Inspector Stuart Thompson said: "Gamesley has always been under-represented, but at the moment there are no co-ordinators on the estate and it's been like that for the past few months.

"We desperately need people out there who are prepared to be the eyes and ears of the community.

"We see them as a vital part of helping local police to solve problems and it does make a real difference."

He added: "Around six volunteers would be great. All it really involves is someone who is prepared to talk to people in the community and very, very occasionally attend a meeting or even generate their own meetings in their own area.

"They feed back to us and we also give information to them, so it's a two-way thing. It's all to improve the quality of life for the community and if we want to make the estate a better place for people to live then people have got to take an interest in what is happening."

Police are also looking for more bases for the Ringmaster scheme which currently only operates via Gamesley Residents' Association.

Officers pass information on to spread round the community; for example they could tell residents to be extra vigilant if there has been a spate of house crimes.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should call 0845 1233333 and ask for community beat officers PC Paula Doyle or PC Dan Houareau.