There is much trumpeting of the fact that this is " the first such permanently staffed office on the NHS estate for Lincolnshire," which will benefit "patients, visitors and staff."
PC Glen Palmer said: "It's really important to us to be as close as possible to the communities we serve, and by taking up a new office in the grounds of Pilgrim hospital we will be very central. I’m looking forward to finding out more about the issues concerning people who work at the hospital, or use it. Once we find out what these are, we’ll look for ways to resolve them and help people feel safer where they live and work. I would encourage people to call in and see us even if it’s just for a chat”.
We will guarantee that the lion's share of the police team's work will be related to the hospital - at the expense of the residents of the area the police are meant to be "covering."
The implication is already there with the announcement that the people to benefit are patients, visitors and staff - many of whom will not be from the area serviced by the team.
And inviting residents to drop drop in for a chat, means trawling the Pilgrim's ridiculous car parks for ages whilst searching for a space - then paying a minimum of £1.20 for the privilege of parking.
Next, the police will be charging admission to their office.
We know we have a reputation for cop bashing, but we only do it because we believe that Lincolnshire Police are letting the people of Boston down.
Increasingly, they take the easy option.
But rather than be accused of making things up, here are the latest three snippets about Boston Police "service" - in their own words, from the news releases on their website.
Handout Number One:
"Officers from Boston Town Neighbourhood Policing Team are urging young people in the town to think about the dangers of trespassing on to the roofs of shops and buildings. There has been an increase in reports of youths risking serious injury by climbing fire escapes and scaffolding and accessing roofs.
"PC Martyn Chambers, the Community Beat Manager for the team, said “Many roof structures are not intended to be walked upon and they pose a real danger. The town experienced a tragic death a few years ago when a young man fell through the roof of a building and we never want that to happen again.'
"Officers will be working alongside Boston Borough Council’s Community Safety partnership to tackle the problem and deal with offenders.
"PC Chambers explained 'we have procedures in place for addressing anti-social behaviour but young people should be fully aware that, in cases where criminal damage to buildings occurs, those responsible will be dealt with very robustly and may well end up with a criminal record.'"
We be sure that you, like us, will not be holding your breath for a result.
Handout Number Two:
"Officers from Boston Town’s Neighbourhood Policing Team are cracking down on behaviour around the Boston Stump that has resulted in damage to the church’s windows.
"Valuable stained glass windows have been broken by footballs hitting the building and smaller panes of glass have been deliberately damaged by stones being thrown.
"PC Martyn Chambers, Community Beat Manager for the town centre, explained 'There have been numerous incidents of damage over the past year but the inconsiderate playing of football has caused a lot of breakages in just the past few weeks. We are determined to put a stop to this and will be making use of all covert facilities available to
us as well as ensuring a highly visible presence in the area.'"
Again, we shan't hold our breath for a result.
In the case of the both items above, the releases end with the sentence "The public is asked to report such activity to Boston Police Station on ."
On what? They can't even be bothered to include the number to call. A handout written in head office by someone who leaves it to other to finish the job ... others who fail to do so.
Handout Number Three:
"A new vehicle has taken to the streets of Boston as part of a joint approach to tackle anti-social behaviour in the town. The Skoda Roomster is a new Partnership Awareness Vehicle that has been purchased with a grant from the Accelerated Neighbourhood Partnership Fund, an initiative implemented by the government.
The vehicle will be shared by Boston Borough Council ASB Caseworkers and Police Community Support Officers and it will enable them to respond to incidents, visit victims of crime and access all areas where anti-social behaviour is occurring. As well as being a vital mode of transport, the Roomster has also been supplied with magnetic signage displaying Police and Borough Council logos identifying it as a partnership vehicle. Other signs will also promote campaigns and raise awareness of the work being carried out by the partnership.
"Chief Inspector Phil Clark who is responsible for Community Safety explained 'We have an excellent relationship with Boston Borough Council's Community Safety Team and work together to tackle the issues which affect local people. This vehicle will be an extremely useful addition to that effort".'
"Pete Hunn, Community Safety Manager at the council believes the Roomster has already begun to make a difference.
"'Anti-social behaviour is not something limited to the town centre,' he said, 'The Skoda enables officers to visit people in their homes in more rural parts of the Borough, addressing those issues which affect their quality of life. It is an eye-catching vehicle that sends out the clear message that Boston Borough Council and Lincolnshire Police are committed to working together for the benefit of the whole community.'"
What a waste of money and resources. And what the hell is "the Accelerated Neighbourhood Partnership Fund?" How on earth did the police manage to travel out of town before they had their buckshee Skoda? By bicycle?
You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.
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