Public 'want more beat officers'

The public would like to see more police on the beat

People in North Yorkshire would rather see more police on the streets than have existing officers react quicker to crime, a new survey says.

It found that 60% of the county's residents considered visibility more important than the time it took to reach incidents.

North Yorkshire Police polled 1,000 people in York, Scarborough, various market towns and rural areas.

They say the findings highlight the importance of high-visibility policing - 60% of residents agreed it was the key to crime prevention.

But although 61% of respondents believe that crime has risen across the county, 59% feel police are no more visible.

Deputy Chief constable Peter Walker said the survey was a very important piece of research for the force.

The deputy chief constable says the research is vital

"It (the poll) emphasises just how important it is for the public to have the reassurance of a visible police presence," he said.

"This is a major priority for future policing in this county.

The need for more officers on the streets was highlighted by the fact 29% of people had never seen a bobby on the beat.

Mr Walker added: "We are taking a number of steps to raise the visibility of both our foot and mobile patrols."

"I want to see our officers working as an integral part of our communities, just as much as the communities themselves want to see our officers."

Mr Walker said that more surveys were planned to monitor the impact of the policy later in the year.