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Reporting local life since 1854
Thursday, January 19, 2012
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BOBBIES ON THE BUSES
Deceased named after road fight POLICE have named a man who died following a fight. Peter Greene, aged 43, of Beaconsfield Drive, Blurton, died in hospital on Monday. He had been involved in an “altercation” on Sunday night. But tests showed the minor injuries he suffered were insufficient to have killed him. More tests are now being done to find the cause of death and three people arrested in connection with the incident were bailed until February.
DENIAL: Stoke City striker Kenwyne Jones.
Free trips would help force cut £900k from travel budget BY ALEX CAMPBELL alex.campbell@thesentinel.co.uk
POLICE in Staffordshire are to be told to use buses while out on patrol – to cut back on the cost of cars. Talks are under way between Staffordshire Police and public transport firms about allowing more uniformed officers and PCSOs to travel free. The force wants to cut £900,000 from its £5.8 million annual transport budget and hopes putting bobbies on buses and trains will cut the use of fuel and fleet cars. Senior officers today reassured residents that officers will not use public transport to get to emergency calls.
Staffordshire Police Authority considered the plan yesterday. Selwyn Brown, of North Staffordshire bus-users group ACES, said today: “I applaud the plan. “Anything that can help us feel safer is good. “Years ago, you used to see police officers on buses all the time. They were part of the community. “If they are going to be seen on the buses again it will improve their standing in the community, because the feeling is you only see them when there’s trouble.” Some officers already travel on First buses for free, but police now want to formalise and extend the arrangement.
First Midlands network manager Paul de Santis, pictured left, said: “Having officers on buses provides reassurance to passengers and also enables the police to go about their duties. “Anything that can reduce the amount of fuel used and the number of cars on the road is a good thing.” Staffordshire Police are trying to save £38 million by 2015 because of recent cuts in spending from the Gover nment. A police spokesman said: “Historically, some local arrangements have existed in parts of Staffordshire to allow police officers to use public transport free of charge. “As part of our transport review, we’ll be speaking to bus and train
companies with the aim of formalising and extending this. “As well as reducing reliance on force vehicles, it will increase officer and PCSO visibility and provide reassurance for other passengers. “There’s no question of officers using public transport to respond to crime; it’s simply an extra option for when they attend appointments, or are out on patrol.” Leigh Gothard, chairman of the police authority’s performance and resources committee, said: “If it assists in officers’ roles then they will use public transport.”
Should more officers be using the buses? Email us at letters@ thesentinel.co.uk
Coates denies offer for Jones STOKE City chairman Peter Coates has dismissed claims the club has been approached with a bid for striker Kenwyne Jones. He said reports of a £5 million offer from Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia were “speculation”. See Back Page
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