Crime figures are a Tragedy

Not only that, but they are being supported by the multi-platinum selling bands, Blue and Aqua, at the Abax stadium – How many more reasons do you need to go wild? “Come on Barbie, let’s go party!”

Except, I don’t think that I will be. Now, I have nothing against ‘One love’ or ‘Doctor Jones’ and even though I think most Steps’ songs are ‘Better best forgotten,’ my reluctance to join in with this ‘Guilty’ pleasure party has nothing to do with the quality of the music.

I am just not sure that I will be in any fit state to attend.

By the time, Steps start warbling on about ‘Tragedy,’ I might have been involved in one of my own, such is the apparent lawlessness in this city.

In fact, if violent crime keeps rising the way it is, by next June the streets of Peterborough could resemble an episode of the ‘Walking Dead’ – I might be lucky to get away with a mild mugging.

In just twelve months, violent crime has gone up over 30% - Violence, sex offences, theft, domestic abuse and arson are all apparently spiralling out of control.

All a spokesman for Cambridgeshire police could say was that they are focusing on victim based crime and prioritising those that target the vulnerable and those at risk.

Well, all I can say is, you don’t appear to be doing a very good job of it!

The Police and Crime Commissioner, Jason Ablewhite, will trot out the usual waffle about more people reporting crime and/or a different way of recording crime has led to a rise (delete as appropriate).

But whichever way you spin it, the crime figures are going up and it is time for a bit of honesty.

We all have sympathy I am sure for the job that our brave police men and women carry out on a day to day basis, and there is no doubt that the job has been made even harder by government cuts (like those that are currently undermining Peterborough City Council).

But stop it with the spin, tell it like it is. Your view does not match that of the man on the street, people who have witnessed the rise in crime first hand and experienced break-ins which have not resulted in a conviction.

The shopkeepers who are constantly having their wares stolen and parents who know their children are at risk from kids carrying knives as a matter of course.

This is the reality of the Peterborough we all live in today – People are not scared of getting caught, respect for law and order is non-existent in some areas of the city, and the police are virtually invisible.

We cannot have neighbourhoods without police or roads without patrol cars, it gives the wrong message to those that are intent on breaking the law, and leads to the rise in crime that we are seeing now.

If we do not have adequate resources to tackle crime and keep people safe in this city, then the man who was elected to oversee our police force, should be doing something about it. It’s time for Jason Ablewhite to speak up.