Residents grill police inspector at Castle Bromwich meeting

A SENIOR police officer has admitted that “painful” budget cuts mean that the old methods of policing - such as routine foot patrols - are having to make way for more modern tactics.
Insp Allan Green, head of neighbourhood policing in Meriden, told residents in Castle Bromwich that fewer staff and changes in criminal activity had left the force with no choice but to adopt new ways of working
Addressing last Wednesday's packed parish council meeting, during which frustration about crime in the suburb often bubbled over, he acknowledged that the most recent restructure, which took place in November, had been challenging.
But Insp Green insisted officers were doing all they could with the resources available and remained optimistic that standards would improve once the new system had bedded in.
“Some of these cuts have been brutal. A lot of people have lost their jobs. And it isn’t easy, I’m not going to lie to you,” he told the meeting.
He added he was “genuinely hopeful” that the changes would bear fruit and that the situation would be helped by the end of a long-standing recruitment freeze.
“We are far, far ahead of other forces in terms of modernising our police service going forward.”
Dozens of residents had descended on Arden Hall to make their feelings known about the police response to offences in the neighbourhood.
Many were concerned there wasn't a visible presence anymore or felt that their calls for problems to be addressed had gone unanswered.
One local man, from Springfield Road, criticised the handling of an attempted break-in at his home earlier this month.
He revealed that two masked men had attempted to force entry through the front door while his terrified teenage daughter was  in the house.
She had dialled 999, but a call handler based in West Bromwich had cancelled the emergency response.
The family were also frustrated that police had not collected evidence from the address – the men’s car was caught on CCTV – and claimed they had been told at one stage that the offenders may have been trying the door “because they had got the wrong house.”
“People are losing faith that you will respond… and criminals are gaining a little bit more confidence as they know you are not going to be there,” said the resident.
Insp Green said he would look into the handling of the incident.
Coun Pauline Allen, from Castle Bromwich Parish Council, had suggested that a dedicated event to discuss the situation be arranged at a future date.
The turnout for last week's meeting was so great - after news of the inspector's attendance spread on social media - that what was supposed to be a 15 minute briefing ended up as a 90 minute Q&A with residents. The rest of the parish council's planned agenda was put back until a later date.

• We will be posting a separate story tomorrow on the group of young people on push bikes that have been causing problems along the Chester Road and what is being done to tackle the problem.