'˜Your time is up' city police chief tells criminals

Superintendent Andy Gipp addressed concerns from residents at the Mellows Close Community Centre in Eastfield on Tuesday evening, alongside Rob Hill, assistant director for community safety in Peterborough.

Residents spoke of growing concerns of anti-social behaviour, violent crime, prostitution and cuckooing - where drug gangs take over a property of a vulnerable person then use it as a base for their drug dealing activities.

“Drugs are everywhere,” one young mother said. “I won’t take my kids out after dark, and one of the houses on Park Lane is a virtual drugs drive through, it’s that well known.”

Another resident said: “This area is blighted by kids in hoodies riding motorbikes down pathways,” adding: “We’ve all named and shamed them to the police, but nothing ever gets done, so why should we bother?”

A two-year-old girl was nearly hit recently, it was said.

Supt Gipp acknowledged cutbacks in police resources, but said: “Your concerns are our concerns too.

“We have to live here as well and we have families and friends who are just as much at risk as you are.”

He added: “With your help we will clean up this community - that I can promise you. And I am putting the criminals on alert - we are coming after you and your time is up”.

Supt Gipp asked Labour member for East ward Cllr Samanatha Hemraj, who organised the meeting, to get the community to put together a wish list of three areas that they want tacked immediately, and he gave his word that himself and the city council would begin a process of tackling the crime.

“Its a place to start,” said Cllr Hemraj.