POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER ADDRESSING BRIGG TOWN COUNCIL

Here are a couple of pictures taken when Matthew Grove, the Police & Crime Commissioner for Humberside, addressed Brigg Town Council in the Angel Suite.
He was accompanied by Supt Ed Cook, who is in charge of operational policing on the South Bank.
Coun Penny Smith sought assurances about the level of policing available at night, and Supt Cook said a new staffing pattern had just been introduced.
It was explained that officers are now going from north bank to south bank, and vice versa, in response to where police are needed. It appears this was not always the case, with officers allocated to specific areas either side of the Humber Bridge.
Mr Grove then outlined "single crewing." This was a phrase Brigg Blog had only heard previously in the context of sailing and rowing. But the Commissioner was making reference to officers going out on patrol on their own, rather than in pairs. "This is not The Bronx," he said.
Coun Carl Sherwood said visual presence meant a lot to people in rural areas, while Coun Mike Storey said he felt safer in Brigg now than he did 10 years ago.
Mr Grove concluded by describing Brigg town councillors as community champions at the forefront of safe communties.
He also revealed that the town council can expect to start seeing police officers regularly at their meetings.
This was of great interest to Brigg Blog, which can remember, in the early 1980s, when Humberside Police were regularly in attendance at sessions in the old council chamber, in what's now Hewson House. Often we saw  a chief inspector, inspector or sergeant. 
This gradually altered and quarterly crime meetings took over, being held in the Angel Suite, under the chairmanship of Coun Tom Glossop. Inspector Brett Rutty, then the rural inspector for North Lincolnshire, delivered informative reports on "crime hot spots" and crime prevention measures and was there, in person, to answer questions from members of the public.
We felt they were very useful, but such meetings were stopped. This was not seen as the best use of resources,  with few members of the general public attending.

TOP PICTURE: Matthew Grove on his feet and making a point to Brigg Town Council, with Supt Ed Cook on the right. Also in picture are Town Clerk Claire Davis, left, Town Mayor Coun James Truepenny and Deputy Town Mayor Coun Ann Eardley. Nearest the camera are the three Couns Sherwood - Luke, Carl and Nigel.

BELOW: The Mayor and Deputy Mayor, Mr Grove and Supt Cook on the top table, with Couns Jane Gibbons, Penny Smith and Louise Mikkonen nearest the camera.

READ MORE: Brigg now has more officers than ever before, says Commissioner