Published: Wednesday, 27th January, 2010 4:09pm

Police aim to improve links with the public

by Andrew Cowie

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Inspector Stickings hopes that communities will support venture.

TO improve their engagement with the public, the local police officers based at Cowdenbeath are looking for members of the community to come forward and tell them about their policing concerns within their local communities.

A series of Community Engagement meetings have been scheduled across the Cowdenbeath policing area at local venues within the hearts of the communities, in an effort to encourage as many people as possible to attend.

These meetings will be held on a regular basis, at the same venue and at the same time on each occasion.

Local Community Police Officers will co-ordinate the meetings and together, with members of the public in attendance, will identify local priorities which people think need addressed to make local communities a safer place to live in.

The Community Officers will thereafter co-ordinate police action on these priorities and will report back the action taken at the next meeting, where the public can give feedback as to whether matters have improved or not, before starting the process again and defining further priorities.

Cowdenbeath area Community Inspector Ken Stickings had this message for the public, "We are committed to being there for every member of the community, tackling the real local issues affecting you to make your neighbourhoods a safer place to work and live in.

"This is what we hope these meetings will allow us to do by working in partnership with you, the people from the very hearts of our communities.

"I realise that we may not able to satisfy everyone or resolve every problem raised, but by building on our successful engagement with you, I hope that you will feel reassured that we are passionate about trying to address realistic local concerns within our communities."

The public are encouraged to contact their local community team on 0845 600 5702 or visit www.fife.police.uk for details of the forthcoming meetings.

Details of the first local meetings are as follows: Monday 1st February Kelty - Moray Institute, 6.30pm. Crossgates - Crossgates Community Centre, 6.30pm.

Tuesday 2nd February Lochgelly and Lumphinnans - Lochgelly Town Hall, 6pm, Hill of Beath - Hill of Beath Community Centre, 6.30pm, Ballingry, Crosshill, Lochore and Glencraig - The Benarty Centre, 7pm.

Wednesday 3rd February Kingseat - Kingseat Community Leisure Centre, 6pm, Cardenden and Cluny - The Corrie Centre, 6.pm, Cowdenbeath - Beath High School, 7pm.