NEW LIFE AUGUST 2009 • Issue 186
FATHER AND DAUGHTER ARE ALL AT SEA TO SAVE LIVES
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GOOD NEWS STORIES
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EXCLUSIVE HOW MURDERER FOUND FREEDOM FULL AMAZING STORY – CENTRE PAGES
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FINALIST BEV’S DEBUT ALBUM SET FOR RELEASE
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STREET PASTORS DRIVE OUT CRIME TOP COP PRAISES SCHEME AS ROBBERIES ARE HALTED
Michael Jackson in March this year announcing his planned comeback gigs
A FAMOUS British seaside town by Hugh Southon has seen a major fall in crime since Christians took to the fallen by a quarter, in fact during that six month period when Street Pastors had been streets. operating, no robberies at all had taken place
A top cop with the Devon and Cornwall force has revealed that since the Street Pastors joined them on the beat in Torquay, their job has become easier. Street Pastors are an army of church volunteers who offer help and care throughout the UK’s towns and cities – usually to night-time revellers. The Torquay scheme has been so successful that it could be extended across Devon. Torquay’s scheme was launched in February last year – and their presence has had a remarkable effect.
CHALLENGE Deputy Chief Constable Tony Melville of the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary said: “Torquay is a busy environment, it’s a busy town and, of course, it has a vibrant, busy nighttime economy, particularly by the harbour. “We want people to enjoy the facilities there, but the challenge we have been experiencing is high levels of crime. “I researched crime statistics during a six month period, and do you know what I found? “What I found was that violent crime had
in Torquay centre. “We had one fifth less burglaries from homes, vehicle crime had fallen by a quarter. And that was all in that very focussed area where Street Pastors had been out on the streets working. “Now these are impressive reductions in crime by anybody’s standard, and that’s one of the reasons we are so supportive of Street Pastors. “I compared the figures with the year before, over the same six months of the very busy summer period.” Inspector Roger Bartlett, of Devon and Cornwall Police Association, said: “Street Pastors help the lonely, the vulnerable, the intoxicated, the intimidated, the frightened and troubled and, in doing so, can prevent people becoming victims of crime... it’s about showing compassion.” And Ros Ede from the local branch of Street Pastors added: “The public is really supportive. “We have been told by everyone from taxi drivers to police inspectors that the atmosphere in the town is totally different whenever the Street Pastors are out.”
BRITISH ARMY BOSS HOPES TO SPREAD GOSPEL FULL STORY – PAGE 5
KING OF POP’S PLEA FOR PRAYER IN LAST DAYS
FULL STORY – PAGE 3