|
OCTOBER
CRIME
As we, move towards the darker evenings you will be pleased to know that Cambridgeshire Police are presenting encouraging news.
It seems that since January 1997 the county has shown a 13% reduction in crime meaning about 7000 fewer victims and that includes burglary and vehicle theft.
A small drop in road deaths compared with 1996 is encouraging, although this is little comfort to the recently bereaved. In spite of some disbelief it does seem that the helicopter Is becoming a great help in crime detection. It has assisted in over 70 arrests and helped to recover over 35 stolen vehicles and many thousands of pounds worth of stolen property.
Several of our local villagers have enrolled as Special Constables and there are over 2.700 Neighbourhood Watch schemes over the county as a whole.
At a Fire Station demonstration last month 1 spoke to the Victim Support representatives. It is a voluntary scheme working in close contact with victims of crime, fire and accidents. One tends to overlook the victim side of., these misfortunes in the feelings of vengeful rage against thieves, arsonists and reckless drivers. Sometimes victims need more than the comfort of relatives and close friends.
Locally Victim Support operates from the Bath House, Gwydir Street, Cambridge, and I am certain they will always welcome offers of support both financial and personal.
A fairly new move in the way of ensuring our firemen keep fit and in good health is the Occuptional Health Unit next door to the St. Ives Fire Station.Fire fighters over 40 years old are given detailed medicals on all the usual body functions and there are additional voluntary tests covering blood cholesterol, fitness checks and measuring bodyfat, strength and,stamina. The tests looked so good that 1 volunteered to do the lot when the new Fire Service is formed and elected members can hope to be offered the same checks. After all, We need to be fit to carry out councillor duties which can involve physical as well as brain effort!
|
|
