PETERSFIELD wants more Ôbobbies on the beatÕ and officers who know the town: that was the message from townspeople to police this week.

They said they were worried that police often could not answer emergency calls quickly because they did not know the area and were travelling long distances to get to Petersfield.

Members of the public told Hampshire Police Authority member Carol Barratt how they wanted to see services improved in the town at East Hampshire District CouncilÕs central area community committee on Tuesday night.

Teresa Jamieson said she was concerned that police answering calls in Petersfield late at night did not know the town and could not respond quickly to emergencies.

She said she had recently witnessed an assault from her bedroom window close to Petersfield town centre late at night.

ÒI was busy explaining to the police telephonist how to get there while the assault was going on because they did not know the town,Ó she said.

She said it had been a distressing experience. ÒI live in the town centre, itÕs not as if this was an address in the sticks. If police are coming from different areas to cover in Petersfield we should have people on the telephone who know the area.Ó

Peter Cooper, a Ramshill resident, told the meeting he had a similar experience after watching a mugging from his window at night.

ÒThe man was lying on the ground with his glasses broken and the police at the other end of the telephone in Southampton asked me Ôhas the victim complainedÕ,Ó he said.

Mr Cooper said he had written to the chief constable and complained. ÒThis girl at the end of the telephone did not have the faintest idea what I was talking about.Ó

He added: ÒWe want bobbies on bicycles not coppers in Volvos.Ó

Anne Claxton said she wanted to see Petersfield police station manned in the evening, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.

ÒIf we want help we have to dial 999 - with the things that go on in The Square we would all feel happier if there was someone available instantly in the centre of the town.Ó

And Liss villagers said they were suffering because their two beat officers were constantly being called away to cover events.

Sue Halstead said: ÒThe problem is our two beat officers are not in Liss as much as we want them. The disturbing thing is that they get called away on duty and the amount of time they are available in Liss is much reduced.Ó

Mrs Barratt said she was surprised that Mrs Jamieson had had to give directions to the police because all 999 operators had monitors with maps.

She said it was difficult to attract more police to the Petersfield area because house prices were very high.