Safety key to recovery of city centre (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Safety key to recovery of city centre

8:48am Tuesday 10th January 2012 in Our View By Telegraph & Argus

It is good news that a police operation to cut down on incidents of pick-pocketing and purse-dipping in Bradford city centre is yielding positive results.

As we have reported many times in the pages of the T&A, theft from shoppers and people going about their daily business is a blight on the city centre.

The dramatically-named Operation Shocker has, say police, cut down on such incidents by 20 per cent since the initiative began.

This is obviously welcome, but what is now needed is a concerted effort to build on this success and, as far as possible, remove this problem once and for all.

One of the primary requirements for anyone who goes into any city centre – not just Bradford – is that they feel safe and secure. We have recently seen positive moves to remove nuisance drinkers from Bradford’s city centre streets, and a reduction in petty theft is the next step to ensuring safety for visitors and workers.

While a concentrated effort by police, especially one that reaps such a positive result, must be welcomed, those who think Bradford is an easy touch for pick-pocketing must now be made to feel that the city centre is no place for their criminal activities.

If we are to encourage more people to shop in Bradford city centre every effort must be made to send a strong message to crooks that they are not welcome and that harsh penalties will follow for anyone who persists.

Only when people feel safe will they get out their money to spend here – and drive forward much-needed regeneration and recovery.