Shock! My Safer Neighbour Team actually patrols the streets

This morning I have woken up bleary eyed and somewhat amazed by a certain scene that I watched last night outside my house. My mystical Safer Neighbourhood Team actually appeared and did some work! Yes, they do exist, and it wasn't a figment of my imagination, as I've given up alcohol for Lent.

However, it wasn't all plain sailing for the boys in blue. They decided to stop a black youth all covered up, and hooded up, and becuase he wouldn't answer the officers questions, or co-operate, he nearly ended up arrested. Until, that is, his mum came out of the house and told him off for not answering the police officers questions. He was my neighbour, although I didn't recognise the fact until his mum arrived on scene. I did titter to myself in the way she berated him for not showing the police some respect. Even the police officers (two of them and not a PCSO in sight) told the guy "if you had told us what you were doing, you could have been on your way". The moral of this incident is show the police some respect, as attitude will get you nicked.

It is nice to know though that the Safer Neighbourhood Team exists, even if they do have to cover my ward, and half of the next one, because of some dodgy council agreement. Plus, if does reassure you to know police are patrolling the area. Where it all falls down is that it is just a team of six officers, and a group of civvies in hi-vis making up the shortfall, or as they are commonly known PCSO's.

However, last night's little incident did show that problem that the police face with the "yoof" of today showing a lack of respect, and David Cameron did make a valid point when he said we need to undrstand why this is the case, Before some stupid spin doctor decided to throw out the diatribe of "Hug a Hoodie". If we truely understood the root cause of the disenfranchisement of the youth of today with the police, then we may start to understand the lack of respect in the police, the community, and maybe even in society as a whole. Yes I may be talking about a utopia, but I can dream can't I.

But, as far as Safer Neighbourhoods is concerned, I still think that the policy doesn't go far enough, and would dearly love to see the principles of "home beat" return, and more importantly see police officers on the streets and not PCSOs.

As for my neighbour, I'm sure that his mother's verbal bashing of his ear drums, about answering the policemans questions will be ringing in his ears for a while yet.