Police defend duty times

Most street crimes take place between 3pm and 8pm, and this is where police duty rotas are concentrated, Inspector Steve Wills of West Midlands Police told Erdington Councillors last night. He was responding to questions from local Councillors who had suggested that there should be more police on duty after 11pm, during the night and early hours of the morning to deal with potential incidents of alcohol-fuelled violence.
Councillor Compton suggested that PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers) should not be taken off duty at 11pm, but should be used to support police through the night. Inspector Wills told the meeting that PCSOs are non-confrontational officers who would not be called upon to deal with violent incidents. Such incidents are crimes, he said, and would be dealt with by police officers.
Police have been using a portable metal-detecting archway for knife detection at some local pubs and railway stations. Officers had found very few incidents of knife-carrying, said Inspector Wills.

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