Green Councillors in Exeter have called for a new Police Enquiry Officer to be based in the city centre as records show 316 crimes in March alone this year. The three Green councillors in St David’s ward have written to the re-elected Police and Crime Commissioner, Alison Hernandez, calling for the Officer to be located in South Street. The letter highlighted the need to listen to local residents and businesses about their concerns over safety in the City Centre.
Councillor James Banyard said:
“There has been much work done by a range of agencies on improving community safety in the city centre, however there is much more work to do. The recent hotspot policing funding which covers part of the South Street area is most welcome.”
“We realise a Police Enquiry Office on South Street is not a ‘cure all’ solution. Ongoing policing and community safety efforts will remain vital. But we believe that a visible city centre presence will help build confidence and show that agencies are responding to concerns about people’s experiences of the city centre.”
Notes
In March 2024 alone 316 crimes were reported in the city centre area:
| Crime type | Instances |
| Violence and sexual offences | 81 |
| Anti-social behaviour | 76 |
| Shoplifting | 55 |
| All other crime | 104 |
Source: Exeter City Centre | Police.uk (www.police.uk)