The Crime Capital of Shepway

Liberal Democrat campaigner Gary Fuller, who recently tackled a Shepway Council officer on the issue of visible policing, expressed his shock at discovering that, according to Kent Police's own figures, over 20% (1 in 5) of all crimes committed in Shepway occur in Harvey Central Ward, which has only one community police officer for over four-and-a-half-thousand people.

There were 995 crimes committed in the Ward between April and September this year, up 22.5% on the same period last year. 612 more crimes were committed in Harvey Central than in the next highest ward, which was Harbour with 383 crimes. 221 of the recorded crimes involved violence against a person, which amounts to two attacks per day during the six-month period in question.

Gary Fuller said: "It is terrifying to think that the number of crimes committed in Harvey Central Ward is so much higher than any other part of the area. This is truly the crime capital of Shepway".

With Kent Police's figures showing that violence, sexual offences, robbery, burglary, vehicle crime, theft and criminal damage have all risen in the ward during this year, our local council will need to look seriously at ways of increasing the number of police officers walking the beat. People's lives could well be at stake.

Gary Fuller put the question of more visible policing in Harvey Central Ward to Shaun Taylor, the Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator for Shepway's Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, during the last Local Board meeting at St Eanswythe's CE Primary School on October 26th.