THE prospective Conservative candidate for the new parliamentary seat of Central Devon, Mel Stride, has said there are ?many aspects of rural policing which need urgent attention?. Speaking to Conservatives from Drewsteignton and Whiddon Down, he urged the Government to increase the level of resources available for rural policing in Devon and called for a change in approach to policing and for reforms in the criminal justice system. Mr Stride said police officers were ?completely overstretched? and the government needed to provide more resources for rural policing. He also believed there was a need to ?take a tougher, more zero tolerance-based approach to policing?. Mr Stride said drug dealing in Central Devon was increasingly being raised with him, including within Okehampton. The police also needed to be freed from ?unnecessary bureaucracy and form filling?, he added. ?Last year I spent time at the Okehampton police station and reviewed some of the paperwork, including a traffic accident report form which has just quadrupled in size. ?I want to free them up to do the job and I want to provide them with the confidence that those who are guilty will be dealt with promptly and effectively,? Mr Stride said.
