Bedfordshire is divided into two Divisions, one covering Luton, and the other, “J” Division, the remainder of the County. “J” Division is sub-divided into “Inspector Led Neighbourhood Areas” (ILNAs). Clophill is in the Ampthill ILNA. Our Inspector is Jaki Whittred., based at Ampthill but covering the area from Stotfold in the east to Woburn in the west. The ILNAs are shown in colour on the attached map, as are the further sub-divisions, known as “Safer Neighbourhood Teams” (SNTs). Each group of teams is headed by a sergeant: in our case a Sergeant Nigel Denham, who controls five teams, each headed by a Constable. Constable Neil Coles is responsible for Clophill, Ampthill, Maulden and Millbrook. He is assisted by a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO). Presently, because of maternity leave, our team has only half a PCSO. Generally, the role of PCSOs is to show a police face locally and to seek to prevent anti-social behaviour. Also supporting the ILNA are some 20 special constables. These tend to work evenings and weekends and are most often added to the “Response Teams” (see next paragraph). Allocation of “beat” time within each area tends to be prioritised, where volumes of crime/incident/reports receive the most attention. All the above can only provide a thin cover, but the teams do have local knowledge. They are supported 24/7, county-wide, by centrally-based “Response Teams” who, for example, answer 999 calls, by two “dog officers”; by the “Roads Policing Unit” (i.e. Traffic) and a police helicopter, based at Henlow. In addition there are “Tasking Teams”, bid for and allocated by the Inspectors to tackle specific crime problems (e.g. Clophill on Halloween). Police operational control, both centrally and in the ILNA, can mean the temporary reallocation of teams into or away from their normal areas. For the future, the Parish Council has agreed, with Ampthill Town Council and Maulden Parish Council, to “buy” a proportionate share of a further PCSO. This should mean, on average, we will receive some six and a half hours per week of his/her time in Clophill.
Policing Issues in Clophill
Although crime in Bedfordshire is low and in Mid-Beds even lower, Clophill can suffer from being on a “Thieves’ Highway”. The A6 between Luton and Bedford and the A507 provide quick access and way out to both urban and “traveller” criminals.
Notwithstanding, the main problems impacting Clophill are nuisance behaviour and vandalism, most prevalent in the Kiln Lane area (recreation ground, village hall and some properties), Church Path and less frequently, The Green area. A second area of concern is criminal damage (mainly to cars, but also some to property) in Back Street, Mill Lane and High Street. Thefts from motor cars also occur sporadically. Drugs, mainly cannabis, are a problem in the Old Church area and this is the subject of regular police checks and arrests.
Because the police resources are stretched and priority is given to “hot spots”, to ensure their attention to specific problem areas it is important for residents to report all incidents to the police, in each instance obtaining a formal reference number.
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