Officers help with town centre clean-up

Police officers joined a team of dedicated volunteers to spruce up Mansfield town centre and reach out to members of the public.

The officers were taking part in a day of action organised by the Business Improvement District (BID), during which they painted, scrubbed, pruned and litter-picked the area around Market Square.

The officers were joined by Mayor Andy Abrahams, staff from Mansfield District Council, Mansfield Building Society, West Notts College students and other volunteers on Tuesday.

As well as lending several helping hands to the clean-up effort, officers also held a regular drop-in beat surgery to discuss issues with shoppers, traders and residents.

They also interrupted anyone seen riding a bike or a scooter through the town centre, and responded to several shop theft reports.

PC Kev Marshall, one of two beat managers for the town centre, said:

“This was a great initiative by our friends at the BID and we were delighted to play our part in it.

“I am Mansfield born and raised and I really care about the town centre and the many shops and traders who do their business here.

“If we want to attract more people down here to spend their money then it’s important that we have a clean and tidy town centre.

“Because if it looks dirty and unloved it will attract the wrong people and will have a negative impact on all of us.

“Me and the team have done our bit today to tidy things up a bit, but we all have an important role to play by ensuring we use the bins provided – especially for cigarette butts, which we found plenty of in the various flower beds in and around the market square.”

Jay Rowlinson, Chief Executive Officer at Mansfield BID, said:

"The multiagency approach to the town centre when dealing with crime and antisocial behaviour is paying real dividends.

"Working and talking regularly with the town centre police beat team allows me to get a real understanding of what is going on.

"I feel blessed to have the current beat team working with us here in Mansfield town centre and the crime statistics don’t lie; they continue to do a fantastic job."