Published date: 30 November 2015 |
Published by: Staff reporterRead more articles by Staff reporterEmail reporter
COMMUNITY leaders are set for a showdown with a top police chief in a bid to combat drug dealing on the streets.
Rhosddu community councillors are to tackle the North Wales Police Crime Commissioner Winston Roddick in the new year, as they seek action to be taken against visible street dealing.
Mr Roddick is to attend a public meeting in Wrexham in January, and several members of the community council plan to attend to take up their concerns about the drug problems in Rhosddu.
At their latest meeting, members heard dealing was going on – in daytime, on busy roads and junctions in full view of the public – and nothing seemed to be done about it.
County councillor I. David Bithell said residents were giving information and details about dealing to the authorities, such as car registrations, and were asking what was happening.
He said the community council had a duty to local people who were obviously very concerned about the problem.
Police representative PC Mick Laidlaw said he would take up members concerns with officers at Wrexham police station.
He said although people might report alleged dealing, sometimes, by the time police got to a scene there was no problem or evidence.
PC Laidlaw added someone could not be arrested if it was only thought they had been dealing.
He said it was a complicated matter – but he would report what the members of the community council had said.
Cllr Brenda Roberts is one of the members who hope to attend the January meeting with Mr Roddick.
After the community council meeting, she outlined the issues they hoped to put to him.
She said: “About five or six of us are hoping to go to the meeting as we are quite concerned about what is going on at the moment.
“We understand there are restrictions seemingly placed on officers, and they are doing their best, so we want to see what can be done. Perhaps we need more plain-clothes officers.
“Unfortunately this is a convenient location for people minded to deal drugs, because there are back alleys and entrances to places.
“It is happening in areas like Foster Road, Lorne Street, Rhosddu Road, the playing fields, near the Spar, in some cases places that are quite public.
“Hopefully after the meeting we will be able to come up with some solutions.”
Mr Roddick’s visit will take place on January 12 at Glyndwr University at 6pm.
It is part of a public consultation he is holding in Wrexham and Flintshire as he seeks to put together a new police blueprint for the area.
He said: “My aim is to ensure that the views, needs and expectations of all parts of our communities are reflected in the plan. I am accountable to the people when it comes to crime and anti-social behaviour so it is vitally important for me to find out what people think about how the region should be policed.”
see- http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/155488/councillors-to-tackle-police-chief-about-drug-dealing-on-wrexham-s-streets.aspx
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