Latest newsletter from PC Steve Putland

𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹e

Morning all.

There's a few things that I would like to highlight and as ever, a couple of photos too!

I receive quite a few complaints about ‘nuisance youths’, some of you may have other phrases of describing the same subject but I'll leave that with you!

I'm sure most would agree that the vast majority of our youngsters (those under 18) are very well behaved, we've all been kids at some point and none of us were angels, not even me and I know that must be hard to believe

Below are some of the complaints I've had and I'm only highlighting them in the hope that the message will filter through to the youngsters and their parents/guardians if they know that their children hang out in these areas.

Youths leaving rubbish including broken glass around All Saints Church in St Mary's Bay and congregating outside of resident's properties which to some can feel intimidating especially when there's a lot of back chat.

Solution-there is a lovely beach and promenade within walking distance that can be enjoyed as long as you use the proper crossings to get across the road and then adhere to the safety rules when you're near to the sea, there's a green area/park off of Jefferstone Lane too!

Youths playing with the lifebuoy rings on the promenade at Dymchurch, throwing them around after taking them off of their hangers, this MUST not happen as one of those could be the difference between a life saved or not. I went to check and found one of the rings discarded on the sea wall when it should have been on it's bracket and others with their attached ropes all over the place.

Solution-these items are not toys so leave them alone please, you're already on the promenade at this point so if it's safe to do so and you are allowed to, enjoy the beach, go to the arcades or something else that's not going to endanger others.

Youths ‘winding horses up’ in Hope Lane New Romney, again completely unacceptable. If you are scaring or provoking a horse you are very likely to be seriously injured when they kick you with their very powerful legs.

Solution-use the skate park in Fairfield Road which is just around the corner from Hope Lane, again, you have a beach at Littlestone and Greatstone if you're allowed to go to them and if you do, enjoy the beaches but be safe.

Youths going into Brookland church and throwing items around including items of rubbish that should stay in a bin, this is very disrespectful and somebody has to clean up after you.

Solution-you're very welcome to go into the church and if you do why not read some of the interesting things in there and admire how lovely these buildings are, same can be said for all of the Marsh churches. Although in Brookland you may not have as many facilities as some of the other villages and towns on the Marsh, it's not an excuse to abuse the church or anything or anyone else and there are some green spaces that you can meet each other at including a small play park.

These are just some of the examples.

Some of the youngsters call me by my first name now that I've got to know them and that's great as I'm not their enemy but I will take action if these ASB type behaviours continue.

I've not only been doing my day to day roles but also helping out my Local Policing Team (LPT) colleagues at emergency calls that have occurred on the Marsh, always happy to help them out!

On Saturday following my Dymchurch surgery, I popped along to the St Nicholas Primary School Summer Fayre alongside Kent Fire and Rescue and the Coastguard, unfortunately I'd only been there an hour when I was called away due to a potentially serious incident however, fortunately that had a good outcome. In the hour I was at the fayre, many a child clambered in and out of Ranger activating the blue lights and bibbing the horn. It's funny actually, the recent events that I've attended where there's been children in and out of the vehicle, one of the most popular things to do is bib the horn, you'd have thought they'd want to set the sirens off, but no, it's the horn that's proved more popular, probably because they've learnt from their mummies and daddies when they've been driving

Oh and not to forget, I've been out and about with the speed gun device, no, I'm not going to publish a list of locations and times! In all seriousness and I know I say this a lot, but speeding is a menace on our roads for many reasons which I don't need to spell out. If we all adopted to driving even just a couple of miles per hour under the posted speed limits if it is ordinarily safe to be at the maximum then our roads would be so much safer and it's such an easy thing to do and is what we should be doing. We all know that we have to drive to the conditions of the road so even if it is a national speed limit on a single carriageway and for most vehicles it will be a maximum of 60 MPH (other classes of vehicles will have different speed limits), it doesn't mean that we should be sat at 60 MPH or whatever the speed limit is for that stretch of road we're on. There's so many factors to take into consideration like weather, the amount of traffic, pedestrians, cyclists, visibility etc etc as to what speed we should be travelling at.

Just before I sign off, I'll lighten up with a couple of photos!

You might be baffled and might be laughing but if anyone has had one of these flyers {tomato poster} put through their door or know anything about the source of them, can you let me know please? email: 13183@kent.police.uk

Poppies, Power Station, Patrol, oh and Police!!

Thank you.

Steve.

Steve Putland

(Kent Police, Police Constable, Folkestone Neighbourhood Beat Officer)