MP Rosie Cooper is determined to raise the profile of local policing which has been slashed over recent years in the Ormskirk area.

Policing in the town is a far cry from when QLocal's Roger Blaxall was a reporter at the Ormskirk Advertiser over 40 years ago.

Back then, every local village had its own bobby and police station, traffic officers were based at Ormskirk and you'd see officers on patrol in the town centre day and night.

Locally, Chief Inspector Arthur Traynor had an 'open door' policy with the media and would be visited every Monday morning at the old police station on Derby Street so that all local police news was reported fairly and accurately. He was the man who's visited local chippies and tap his night stick on the front counter telling them 'that's the last pan of chips you'll be frying tonight!' - and of course there was a Magistrates Court where offenders were dealt with.

Straight out of Heartbeat? Maybe - but there are many like MP Cooper who are really concerned about that state of policing in the town which to be fair is no fault of the Constabulary but central Government dogma and attempts to save money on the front line.

Cooper is in regular contact with the Chief Constable and has also asked to meet the Home Secretary to discuss the increase in crime and violence in West Lancashire which include a serious stabbing, an arson attack and several other knife-related incidents; she will also raise with him the fact that residents believe that cuts to the Policing budget mean there aren’t enough police on the streets protecting them.

It has been reported in the last week that there has been a stabbing in Birch Green, murder of a resident of Elmridge and a further unrelated attack involving either an axe or a machete according to witnesses in the Carfield area. Earlier this year there was also a double stabbing in Ormskirk.

Said Rosie: “I am speaking with the Chief Constable on a regular basis about local crime and violence and I have written to the Home Secretary Sajid Javid calling for a meeting to discuss these increases and the effects of cuts to police budgets on local policing.

“People believe that the effects of the Police cuts is this stark and very clear increase in violent crime. Local residents must have confidence and that is clearly lacking at present. Without the visible presence of Police on the beat, those carrying out these acts and carrying weapons do not fear getting caught – this must change.

“My constituents no longer feel safe especially as knives are so easily obtained – we need to get knives off the streets. We need a knife amnesty immediately to rid the area of many of its weapons and educate young people about the danger of carrying knives, to themselves as well as others. I welcome the police plan to provide knife bins on the Digmoor and Tanhouse estates which will encourage the anonymous surrendering of knives. They need to be provided urgently.

“Tenants are also being reminded that WLBC tenancies may well be terminated if those addresses are connected to offences, even if it isn’t the registered tenant who offends.”

For more on the cuts from a Police Federation view, click here: http://www.lancashirepolfed.org.uk/c..._consequences/