LISS parish councillors say they are confused by a letter sent to them by East Hampshire's top police officer. They have been contacted by Chief Inspector Phil Kedge about a new 'Street Watch' initiative encouraging community involvement in policing. But at a parish council meeting on Monday night, Howard Lindsley said the meaning of his correspondence was unclear. He told his colleagues: "I find the letter a little bit funny in a way. One of the things he seems to be encouraging us to do is to get involved. "I'm not sure what action he wants. Does he want us to just say 'yes it is a good idea' or does he want us to organise it for him? "I'm also not sure whether this overlaps with the Neighbourhood Watch scheme. "I suggest what we do is to respond and say it sounds interesting - we would like to know more." Chief Inspector Kedge is looking to introduce the concept of Street Watch in towns and villages across East Hampshire in a bid to drive down crime levels. The police chief wants members of the community to monitor their own areas and report problems if and when they see anything suspicious. He has also hotly-denied claims that the scheme is merely a watered down version of vigilantism and has encouraged Neighbourhood Watch groups to contact him to discuss the proposal in person.
