POLICE have defended themselves against a wave of criticism over “a lack of police presence in Bournemouth town centre” amid a murder investigation.
A senior Dorset Police officer has rubbished any claims people make that officers cannot be seen in the town centre and said last night, when an 18-year-old man was ‘stabbed to death’, 28 officers were on foot patrols in the area.
Hitting back against criticism from residents and Sir Conor, superintendent Gavin House, the lead for policing in BCP, said: “Officers deployed to our dedicated night-time economy policing operation were on scene almost immediately and, despite their efforts, were unable to save his life.
“Local officers patrolling the area were however able to quickly apprehend four young men, who remain in police custody and are assisting with our ongoing enquiries.
“On the night of this tragic incident we had 28 officers on dedicated foot patrols in the town centre at the time it occurred.
“This was in addition to our response and specialist operational teams answering calls for service on mobile vehicle patrol.”
Mr House said the force recognises violent crime and knife crime is a “significant concern” amongst residents, but that “proactive steps” have been taken in recent months to tackle it.
Read more: Bournemouth town centre murder probe: what we know so far
“We have seen an increase in the number of officers in our town centre neighbourhood policing team and our regular weekend Op Fireglow patrols in the gardens and town centre where officers engage with members of the public and provide a visible policing presence,” he added.
A dispersal order has been placed in Bournemouth town centre from this evening which will give officers the power to ask anybody causing issues to leave. Failure to comply will result in an arrest.
Mr House said: “We remain committed to doing all we can to tackle crime in the town centre and supporting our local communities and visitors to feel safe in our public spaces.
“Incidents such as this will be fully investigated and we will continue to provide an increased policing presence in the vicinity so officers can be approached by members of the public with any information or concerns.
“I want to again thank businesses and members of the public who have been impacted by the police cordons in the town centre for their patience and understanding while this important investigative work takes place.”
A cordon remains in place for the Square and Lower Gardens after a Bournemouth man was allegedly stabbed to death in the early hours of Saturday, August 5.
Four 18-year-old men, two from Portsmouth, one from Poole and another from Bournemouth, remain in police custody this evening under arrest on suspicion of murder.
Anyone with information is asked to submit it to the investigation team via the Major Incident Public Portal page at https://mipp.police.uk/operation/55HQ23M98-PO1. If you are unable to submit information online, please call 101 quoting occurrence number 55230122793. Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.
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