Haverhill Queen's Square: Councillors take action over rise in anti-social behaviour
Two Haverhill town councillors and a police officer met with shopkeepers to discuss their concerns about a rise in anti-social behaviour - with the officer then having to intervene in an incident.
Cllrs Pat Hanlon and Alan Stinchcombe said they were ‘shocked’ at the daily incidents of anti-social behaviour, reported a fortnight ago in the Haverhill Echo, that businesses in Queen’s Square are having to endure.
Dave Ellis, who owns Ellis Interiors with his wife Jane, told the Echo that when they reported issues, there was little to no response from the police.
On Friday, Cllrs Hanlon and Stinchcombe met Sgt Matt Gilbert, of Haverhill Safer Neighbourhood Team, and visited shops in the precinct.
They said: “Sgt Gilbert was able to reassure Mr Ellis that using the ‘Report something’ web page was likely to be easier to access than phoning 101 for a non-emergency report and more likely to receive a reply than emailing.
“He was also able to offer contact with crime prevention officers to advise about placement of CCTV cameras, which shopkeepers are thinking of installing.
The councillors suggested using a private messaging group for shopkeepers to compile a log of incidents that could be copied into an electronic report.
They added that as they prepared to leave the precinct, ‘with Sgt Gilbert clearly visible from Queen’s Street, a loud argument laced with swearing broke out in the street and Sgt Gilbert had to intervene’.
