Police hail e-mail scheme a success

MORE than 1,000 residents in Huntingdonshire and Fenland have signed up to an e-mail system which lets the public know about crime in their area. Launched in April by Cambridgeshire police, E-cops allows officers to send e-mails directly to the community

MORE than 1,000 residents in Huntingdonshire and Fenland have signed up to an e-mail system which lets the public know about crime in their area.

Launched in April by Cambridgeshire police, E-cops allows officers to send e-mails directly to the community to keep residents informed about criminal activity

It also allows the public to use e-mail to report anti-social behaviour and low-level crime.

Chief Supt Mick Gipp, divisional commander, said: "Those who have signed up to the scheme are receiving the latest crime information relating to their area and communicating with their local officers.

"We hope that, by introducing this scheme, we will be able to forge closer relationships with the community and work with them in determining and implementing solutions to local problems."

The E-cops system had a success in St Ives when a resident e-mailed police to alert officers that a group of youths were behaving anti-socially. PCSOs were sent to investigate and a 16-year-old boy was given a verbal warning for possession of cannabis.

Chief Supt Gipp said: "E-cops is a useful way for the community to alert officers to any suspicious activity in their neighbourhood or concerns about criminal activity."

INFORMATION: Residents and businesses interested in the scheme can sign up by visiting www.cambs.police.uk and clicking on the E-cops link.