Maybe just a national problem but surely the cutbacks have not been that bad. Walk around the city regularly and there are hardly any police on foot anymore. I've witnessed so many incidents and no authority around, street beggars are getting too many and maybe a side effect of a bigger problem, no one seems to be caring for them on the streets in the city. I've never seen anyone delivering supplies or checking who these people are. What is alarming is the amount of women on the street too, really very sad and those I have spoken to are all sleeping rough because they are not getting to the hostels on time to register for their nights sleep. I witnessed one woman threatened with her life for stepping on a large male beggars territory, and spoke to another young woman in the city centre who had been beaten up badly with a terribly cut and bruised face. She was also hinting at being dragged into prostitution but I didn't pry.
I've been shouted at twice by racist idiots in cars, once with a femail friend which was vile. The streets at night now even in the city centre no longer feel safe at all. I would not feel comfortable about taking children or family members around many of the streets late evening especially with little or no police presence for reassurance. This problem has been getting worse over recent years and I feel it's just been left to deteriorate which is really sad.
I've been going out in the city for many years and I can't remember it being this bad. Others I speak to seem to be experiencing the same thing. Obviously no city is ever going to feel particularly safe at night but Brum has had a fairly good record for a city of its size in the past I think.
My own experiences include people I know (a girl student) being violently attacked and robbed left with broken teeth by lads, racist gang fight outside the Mailbox, several other fights, people being verbally abused and just last night there were a couple absolutely off their heads sat on the Council House steps fighting and arguing, the man was threatening violence on the woman could have been drugs or alcohol not sure.. They were there when we walked into town and there when we left. It's not nice to see or hear and there is no police to sort this out in a prominent part of town so god knows how bad it must be now in certain suburbs, no go I would imagine.
On a separate note, there was a large group of men and women crawling around inside the Chamberlain Memorial last night taking selfies. The tiny door was opened, didn't even know you could enter it. Not sure if they had forced it or had a key but wondered what that was all about.
We need the police back on the streets at night.
I've been shouted at twice by racist idiots in cars, once with a femail friend which was vile. The streets at night now even in the city centre no longer feel safe at all. I would not feel comfortable about taking children or family members around many of the streets late evening especially with little or no police presence for reassurance. This problem has been getting worse over recent years and I feel it's just been left to deteriorate which is really sad.
I've been going out in the city for many years and I can't remember it being this bad. Others I speak to seem to be experiencing the same thing. Obviously no city is ever going to feel particularly safe at night but Brum has had a fairly good record for a city of its size in the past I think.
My own experiences include people I know (a girl student) being violently attacked and robbed left with broken teeth by lads, racist gang fight outside the Mailbox, several other fights, people being verbally abused and just last night there were a couple absolutely off their heads sat on the Council House steps fighting and arguing, the man was threatening violence on the woman could have been drugs or alcohol not sure.. They were there when we walked into town and there when we left. It's not nice to see or hear and there is no police to sort this out in a prominent part of town so god knows how bad it must be now in certain suburbs, no go I would imagine.
On a separate note, there was a large group of men and women crawling around inside the Chamberlain Memorial last night taking selfies. The tiny door was opened, didn't even know you could enter it. Not sure if they had forced it or had a key but wondered what that was all about.
We need the police back on the streets at night.
hno:
