YOUR article headed ?Startling statistics for crime? (June 12) quotes Cllr Madigan as saying ? . . . we will need to look at that with a view to improving reporting behaviour.
I cannot be alone in wondering what on earth that comment means, assuming that it has been quoted correctly and not out of context.
It is not surprising that crime reporting has been reduced. That is not due to any reduction in crime as such, but simply the increasing difficulty experienced by people in reporting it in the first place, attended by the lack of response by the police to the reports.
Whereas it was once possible to report incidents directly to our local officers via the Tavistock Police Station (and, before it was closed, our local Yelverton one), we now have something akin to a call centre to deal with.
Further, it is of little use when reporting vandalism and theft to be contacted by a police officer two days after the event and a promised statement-taking not materialising at all.
To add insult to it all, you then see the offenders walking about with the same stupid grins all over their faces ? and you know full well that they have got away with it again.
No, Sir, ?Improving the reporting behaviour? is not the answer; getting something done about the reports and action against the offenders is the answer. We are drowning in a slough of litter, graffiti, vandalism, foul language and jargon ? and the slough is getting deeper as action against it lessens.
B W Salt
Cruets
The Village
Buckland Monachorum