Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Andrew Snowden, has today visited Leyland to meet with South Ribble MP, Katherine Fletcher and community representatives, to discuss crime and antisocial behaviour in the area and to hear from the local police about what is being done to tackle the issue.
Meeting in the Moss Side area of Leyland, Andrew and Katherine met with Sophie Wilding from Leyland Community Network and Outreach Service to hear about how antisocial behaviour and other crime affects the area and its residents.
Speaking to Sophie as well as local PCSOs, the group heard accounts of how antisocial behaviour and crime in the area needed to be dealt with as well as Andrew’s plans to give the police the backing and resources required to tackle the issues that people care about most.
Andrew and Katherine also discussed tackling knife crime, issues related to the reporting of crime as well as getting support from the community to address the problems that they face.
Andrew and Katherine heard from local PCSOs about the work they do to keep the area safe, the challenges they face and how they work in the local community to provide reassurance.
Speaking afterwards, Andrew Snowden said: “Thanks to Katherine for inviting me to discuss the issues that her constituents are bringing to her on a regular basis. Hearing first-hand about the challenges to policing in this area reinforces my commitment to getting more police on the streets of Lancashire as we work with the government to deliver its ambitious target of 20,000 new police officers.
“I am committed to tackling antisocial behaviour and cracking down on criminals who blight our communities and engage in criminal activity. My police and crime plan will focus on these issues and provide the strategic focus for Lancashire Constabulary to deal with the types of crime that people tell me on a regular basis need addressing.
Katherine Fletcher, MP for South Ribble said: “I invited Andrew as it is so important police leadership hear clearly what it’s like on the ground in areas of Leyland. I was encouraged to hear his plans, and I look forward to changes in structure and priority to get our concerns addressed in Leyland and beyond.
