WHAT an impression your correspondent, J Chinn, has of our much-maligned police force. Admittedly, the Arrive Alive business has aggravated not a few people, myself included, but in suggesting a plain clothes exercise, he or she assumed the police had not already taken this action regarding the footpath attacker. Does this person think that, apart from reassuring the public, the police are going to broadcast their operational intentions? It is not, as J Chinn wrongly assumes, just "another incident on file". There are many lines of enquiry for them to follow - it takes time. This person is angry over the number of police vehicles on the Coast Road, and declares they were there just to catch speeding motorists. For a pure speed checking exercise, it only needs the Arrive Alive vehicle and its operator. I suggest he or she explore the possibility they might be using the Automatic Number Plate Recognition device for the discovery of stolen or unroadworthy vehicles, no current MOT certificate, driving licence, insurance, illegal or out-of-date tax discs, drugs dealers/couriers, bail absconders, wanted criminals and illegal immigrants; just a few examples of the very positive results recorded by the police by using this OCR technology. The sweeping statement "practically anybody can now become a police officer", displays ignorance; they can rest assured entry controls are stricter than ever before. As the local beat manager holds a weekly surgery at Prestatyn Library, a visit might be beneficial for J Chinn, especially if feeling unsafe. G C JONES Palmeira Gardens Prestatyn LAST Friday afternoon I drove along the Coast Road from Rhyl to Prestatyn and, after negotiating the buses stopped in the road since the ridiculous filling in of all the bus lay-bys, I was confronted by the sight of no less than six police cars accompanying a camera van by Robin Hood Camp. Having just read of another huge hike in our police concept, and the scandalous waste of our money on the "mole" inquiry (up to £400,000 according to the national papers), I was incensed at this waste of resources. Surely if this was a speed camera van, no cars would be necessary and if it was number plate recognition, one car in each direction would be sufficient. Assuming one or two officers to each vehicle, up to 14 police could have been engaged in this operation. I really think it is about time that some serious examination of this profligate extravagance was undertaken by North Wales Police, as there are a lot of us on fixed incomes who are neither willing, nor able, to pay increases in the police precept to fund it. NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED MANY of your readers will acknowledge the valued work of Vision Support - a registered charity supporting the blind and partially sighted, providing aids, support and technical information for those in need. Much of its work is done using a mobile information unit, which is equipped to the needs of all with vision disabilities. The unit travels to different stopping points within its cover area, so as to be within reach of the people it caters for. Stopping points are advertised in advance. One such stopping point used to be at the bottom of High Street, Prestatyn, approximately once per month from 9am to 2pm. This became established, and proved to be a popular location for many people, who enjoyed its facilities in safety and comfort. I am informed, however, that the unit has now been stopped from using this location by parking wardens, with the result that blind people can no longer obtain vital services. I appreciate the need for tight control to minimise congestion, but really are we to assume that Denbighshire Council is so inconsiderate as to withdraw such a needy facility from the disabled? I trust that your readers will write to the council or contact their MP or AM for their reactions. A speedy solution must be found. MR H PARKER Vision Support member Meliden Road Prestatyn IT is claimed Rhyl has received nearly £62m in funding, although there is little to show for it. Organisations within the town, for example the Benefit Advice Shop, Women's Refuge and several other groups, are at financial breaking point, which may lead to a loss of staff, or the closing of the groups concerned. One thing Rhyl is investing in is three 24 foot high stainless steel sails. These structures, which are as high as two double decker buses, and speaking to someone in the steel industry, may be worth up to £90,000 each, are not going to be inflicted entirely onto the people of Rhyl. The poor residents of Rhuddlan and Prestatyn are going to have one each. Not to the benefit of Rhuddlan and Prestatyn, but as a gateway feature pointing the way to Rhyl. The one in Rhuddlan is going to be placed on a very dangerous roundabout, while the one for Prestatyn is going to blight the residents of Victoria Road West. If Rhyl has got money to waste, it would be better spent on its residents, rather than on structures to be inflicted on the residents of Rhuddlan and Prestatyn. CLLR GLYN JONES Clwyd Court Prestatyn WE have recently heard of the proposed building of three-storey apartments on the site of Abbey House Nursing Home, Rhuddlan. We were devastated to hear that to enable this project to go ahead, Abbey House will have to be pulled down. Obviously the residents will have been found places elsewhere. We have no objection to extra housing being built as there is great need for them. But do they have to demolish a building of such character, of which there is a lack of? Especially when there is land at the opposite end of the village, near the Marsh Pub, the site where Thomas Motor Mart once stood, and surrounding area, which has resembled a bomb site for years. Various businesses have shown interest but for some reason or another have been refused permission. This is not a case of a "NIMBY", just very frustrated residents of 34 years standing. SHEILA AND KEITH HALL Hendre Close Rhuddlan THE Hunting Act 2004 has nothing to do with animal welfare and everything to do with political prejudice. Politicians have created a situation that has resulted in police officers being diverted from frontline policing activities and refocused on ensuring rural people are culling foxes within the law. To use the words of the head of the Association of Chief Police Officers, this legislation "fills many of his fellow officers with dread". The Crown Prosecution Service and the ACPO policing guidelines on the Hunting Act indicate that this legislation is a low priority for police forces throughout England and Wales. Indeed the assistant chief constable of the Dorset force said that illegal hunting was less serious than letting off a firework after 11pm. Self-proclaimed "hunt monitors" are wasting valuable and already overstretched police resources. Anti-hunting organisations and hunt saboteurs should stop their malicious, prejudiced attacks on the hunting community, understand that hunts intend to act within the law until this ridiculous and badly-drafted legislation is overturned, and stop causing unnecessary trouble in rural areas. TOM FELL Regional director Countryside Alliance | 
Article
