'˜Melton people can help us tackle crime'

Insp Siobhan Gorman has been on the Leicestershire force since 2002, working mainly in the city of Leicester.

So being in charge of a big rural patch like the Eastern Counties neighbourhood policing area, which also includes Rutland and Harborough, is a new challenge for her.

At a time when police numbers are falling - more than 500 officers have been lost from the county force since 2010 and around 180 may have to be cut because of future funding pressures - support from the public has never been more important.

“Melton people can be our eyes and our ears so I would urge them to get in touch when they see something suspicious,” said Insp Gorman (41).

“They can make contact online through the force website, through Crimestoppers or they can contact us on social media.

“We are very lucky with the volunteers we have working with us in Melton.

“We also have a very good cadet force and I would love more young people to get involved with that.”

Insp Gorman has been deployed in a variety of roles during her career, including police response, investigation and proactive policing.

She particularly enjoyed working as a beat officer on the St Matthew’s Estate in the city.

She said: “I’ve spent a lot of my career in community policing. I am very much people-focused, I love working with people so, working in a rural community like Melton, I couldn’t really have a better job.”

Insp Gorman is aware of the multiple arson attacks on the Fairmead Estate over the last 18 months but she added: “I have worked on estates in Leicester which have a bad name but the trouble is always down to a small number of people. I am a firm believer that there are far more good people than bad people and I am sure this is the case with the Fairmead estate as well.”

Only a small number of women have been police commander in Melton over the last century but Insp Gorman doesn’t regard herself as a trail-blazer.

“I would like to think I am in this role on merit,” she said.

“The male officers treat me as one of the lads and I don’t expect any special treatment because I am woman.”

Insp Gorman warned Melton people to be wary of what they read on social media.

She added: “Social media can be a great tool for us in terms of sending messages to the public but it can create a rumour mill of things which aren’t actually true.”

Go to www.leics.police.uk/report-online to report crimes or call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.