IT WAS a real eye opener for West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett — he spent a Saturday night on patrol with Okehampton police as part of a fact-finding tour around the area.
Although it was a quiet night in incident terms Mr Burnett said he gained an insight into the huge area the local police had to cover with limited resources and the 'intelligent, firm and patient' way officers dealt with situations.
From 9pm until midnight the MP went on patrol with local officers in Okehampton, North Tawton, Sampford Courtenay, Hatherleigh, Exbourne, Meeth, Okehampton, Chagford, Sticklepath and South Tawton before going on to Torbay until 5.30am.
Mr Burnett said the Okehampton force had to cover an area of 400-500 square miles and there were two officers on duty on Saturday night.
'We owe the police and the public proper cover — the police take great risks on our behalf and they should be provided with the equipment and personnel needed to keep these risks at a minimum,' he said.
He described the officers of the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary as being very versatile: 'One minute they can be in a rural area and the next in a large town or city.
'I was very impressed by the calibre of the police. Of every 50 people who apply to join the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary only one gets in.'
The method of policing was non-confrontational, he said: 'It was marvellous to see the intelligence, firmness and patience used to diffuse a situation.'
The MP said he had pressed the minister in charge of police, Charles Clarke, on the issue of sparsity and police funding.
'The Government is looking to bringing in a formula in 18 months' time which will recognise the sparsity factor but we must look at the funding again this year.
'An independent report commissioned by the Home Office at the end of November made it quite clear that the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary needed an extra £3.6-million funding — enough to pay for another 120 officers.'