A RETIRED police inspector has said he 'despairs' at the lack of police officers on the streets in Hexham.

At Hexham Town Council last week, Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness said she "totally appreciates" people want to see more police on the streets but blamed large budget cuts on why there are fewer bobbies on the beat and reduced opening hours at police stations.

Norman Wicks, who ended his police career at Hexham as an Inspector, said: "Like most people in Hexham, I despair at the lack of real police cover within the town and rural areas.

"I am still constantly asked by people in Hexham about the lack of officers.

"While officers start their duty at the office, because of the areas they cover - including for example Ponteland - it is highly unlikely that there will be an officer within Hexham town, hence the fact very few people see either PC’s or support officers and find the doors closed at the office."

He added: "When you look at the description of what police are for, it's the prevention and detection of crime.

"You can't prevent that much crime unless someone is out and about."

Mr Wicks, who retired in 1993, said visible police patrol can reduce crime, and added he used to walk around and speak to the public "a hell of a lot".

"We got so much information on the street," he said.

Mr Wicks, who still lives in Hexham, said while the Hexham Police Station front desk is now only open from 10am until 2pm and closed at weekends, he said at one time it was "24/7".

"From Hexham, and this is in the early 1990's/late 1980's, after 10pm we had one patrol car out and we had probably four PC's and a sergeant and there might be the odd one out at some of the offices around - Prudhoe, Haltwhistle, Bellingham," he said.

"I bet that we really didn't have many more officers available than we've got now but we used them better because we were able to identify where things were and the big thing being that these weren't officers that didn't know the area, they did."

The 78-year-old added: "People are now getting to the point where if the office isn't open, they don't bother reporting crimes.

"I'm not saying for one moment Hexham is a hotbed of crime, but crimes do occur."

He added: "This cry about having no money, it just seems sometimes in my opinion a misplace of resources."

He thinks funds currently being used on dealing with issues such as "non-crime hate incidents" could be re-directed to putting more police on the streets.

"There's all sorts of stuff which you think what the hell are you dealing with all this nonsense for?" said Mr Wicks.

"They could use their time much better."

He added that the police "are taking on more and more of things because other departments [such as social care] are unable to do it."

"I don't get annoyed," said Mr Wicks. "I get upset about the whole thing.

"For years after I retired I was defending the police all the time, but now I can't do it because - I'm not criticising the troops on the street - I'm talking about the hierarchy who are totally out of touch with reality."

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness said: “We all want to see more police - but the reality is that after the Government cut £148m and 1,100 officers from Northumbria Police, difficult choices had to be made.

“I want the Home Office to give the people of Northumberland and Tyne and Wear the full resources needed to fight and prevent crime.

“Instead, Northumbria Police was given the funds to replace only around half the officers we lost, and no more.

"With the Government now talking about austerity round two, my worry is we will face more pressure on our police force.”