PC Peter aims to relieve tension (From Warrington Guardian)

PC Peter aims to relieve tension

A POLICEMAN has been appointed as Congleton and Vale Royal's first gipsy traveller liaison officer in a bid to relieve tension in multi-cultural communities.

PC Peter Jones will be working with travellers, gipsies and shared communities exclusively in the central Cheshire area.

One of his priorities is to ensure problems between travellers and residents are dealt with as quickly and fairly as possible.

He said: "Often problems arise because people don't understand or accept each other's perspectives. For the most part these difficulties are quickly settled, usually through some form of compromise.

"There are times, however, when misunderstandings occur because of simple indifference, a lack of consideration, low levels of tolerance, or a combination of all three. I want to encourage trust, understanding and tolerance through my work."

Police hope a consistent and standard approach will help ease tensions between the two parties.

PC Jones will also work alongside people living in mixed culture communities, helping resolve problems and encouraging a greater understanding from all residents.

Last year travellers settled in mid Cheshire several times, sometimes even forcing locks on private and council property.

Congleton Borough Council had to serve an injunction on one group of travellers who settled on Harbutt's Field, an archaeological site in Middlewich, causing £1,000 worth of damage.

Tempers flared last April when farmer Brian Hancock took matters into his own hands after travellers broke in and settled on his property.

After being told he would have to fork out thousands of pounds to serve them an eviction notice, he deployed a convoy of tractors filled with slurry to spray the field the gipsies were in.

Divisional Commander Tim Jackson said the new role would not be easy and said they did not have ready answers to all the challenges.

But he said: "We know there are a number of issues of real concern to the settled community, many of which are shared by the gipsy traveller community.

"With the support of others, we're confident we can overcome these problems in a balanced way."

To contact PC Jones, call the crime and disorder unit in Northwich on 01244 614299.