Colette Paul, Bedfordshire's new chief constable is a great example of the new breed. She did her stuff at Bedfordshire Councils Planning Consortium Meeting in Flitwick last night for reps from town and parish councils. Very attentive to questions and ready to engage she made a good impression and we are grateful for her time. As we all dispersed after 9 pm I learned she had a 7.30 meeting in Luton the following morning and it would appear there is no chauffeur. It's a demanding job whatever the postholder.
Sometimes, of course, these encounters are interesting for what the keynote speaker doesn't say. The new chief's CV includes years with CID in the Met and deputy CC of heavily industrialised (or post-industrialised) south Wales - tough neighbourhoods with racial and social tensions and, specially in London, major organised crime.
So, she might have said: "All your stuff about youths and graffiti and bobbies on the beat. You don't know you're living in mid-Bedfordshire. In London we have stabbings, huge drug deals, terrorism and radical clerics to sort out." Though she would have had to acknowledge EDL in Luton.
She might also have added: "Society has given the police a lot less money and you don't get what you don't pay for - a bit like Easyjet and M&S."
But of course Ms Paul didn't say either of those things though I'm sure she would love to.
From the Cranfield angle, chairwoman Delise Ball raised the CBC idea that cars will be banned from pavements and local parish councillors would then serve warning notices to offenders for a number of months before CBC would intervene. Would the chief be happy to do this herself as it sounded a bit dodgy? She said she would, and in a private capacity, not just as a police officer. Well, with that determination and grit maybe she can help us out on a Friday night at Flitt Leys. We'll need all the help we can get.
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