Below are the extracts of a letter that has been sent to all councilors from Chief Superintendent Gary Davies
A relatively peaceful Christmas and New Year saw low levels of crime across the area which was good news. Throughout November and December we increased the levels of patrol in the town and City centres across B&NES, which was well received and we had good feedback. In Bath City Centre we targeted anti social behaviour, violence and public disorder. This led to 83 arrests and 38 people told to leave a specific area. Throughout that period we also carried out 173 licensed premises visits to ensure appropriate standards were being met. Critical to our success was to ensure that those people who wanted to have an enjoyable night out were able to do so and that those who were determined to ruin other peoples enjoyment failed to do so.
We were all saddened by the murder of Joanna Yeates in Bristol and several of my staff have been working throughout Christmas helping on the enquiry. We wish the investigation well and send our condolences to the family.
Some people’s sense of fun and enjoyment tested even the most liberal thinking of us. A man in Bath who decided to go to a party as a terrorist carrying a home made bomb, which he lost on the way to the party, was struggling to see the funny side of it when he discovered the bomb disposal team had been called out after his bomb, consisting of clock wires and putty, was found in the street. He was looking pale and gaunt when he was sat in the police station trying to explain his thinking as he was realising that a lot of police time and effort had been put into investigating the matter. Perhaps Mr Bean next year!
The New Year will bring new challenges including the delivering of policing services to an even better standard despite shrinking budgets. We are up for it and I would like to thank you all for the tremendous support that you have given my staff throughout 2010.
