PART of the police Chief Constable’s neighbourhood pilot, Callington, Launceston, Bude and Camelford’s Police Community Management Officer has reflected on the work she has done since taking on the role last summer, and what lies ahead.

PCMO Vashti Pearce spent 34 years working for Devon and Cornwall Police in Plymouth including seven years as a prevention officer in an area that she said had ‘very high crime’, and said taking on the role in this area ‘completely changed my mindset’.

Her role, part of the Chief Constable’s neighbourhood pilot, which ends in August, covers Launceston, Callington, Camelford and Bude.

“We work towards the force mission — protect and detect the threat, risk harm to the vulnerable in our community. Although we don’t have the high crime we have the vulnerability,” she said.

“It’s just been amazing to come from Plymouth after 34 years and be made so welcome and the role be so well received, and I think it’s because the strength over here is the community.”

Although it is not yet known what might happen to Vashti’s role after the pilot ends in August, she still has a lot of work to do over the summer, including looking at potentially revamping speed watch and how it’s run.

Vashti said: “A particular passion of mine is raising awareness of financial crime, be it loan sharks, doorstep crime. I do some work around a project called ‘Think Jessica’.”

This charity works to protect the elderly and vulnerable from scams which come through the postal system and criminals who contact them by telephone.

Vashti added: “It’s a modern day chain letter, but a lot more sinister. It’s not just the elderly [who are affected].”

This is a particular point Vashti wants to get across. She said finance is ‘such a taboo’ subject, but that she has even fallen victim to a scam.

She said: “I wanted to get One Direction tickets for my daughter at the height of X Factor. I didn’t ask my daughter for advice and I got scammed out of £300.”

Her advice, especially in relation to postal scams, would be for people to be wary of friends or relatives receiving ‘piles of post’, adding: “It works on the different needs of people,” — Vashti said scams include vitamin supplements, contact from ‘clairvoyants’ or letters to say the receiver has won lottery money — “It works on all those vulnerabilities,” Vashti said.

There will be an event on financial crime on May 13 at the White Hart in Launceston from 9.45am to 11.45am.

Since taking on her role in the area, Vashti said her biggest concern is that people are ‘not as aware’ of the services available to help them as they would be if they lived in Truro or Bodmin: “East Cornwall is eclipsed by West Cornwall, North Devon and Plymouth.”

She is keen to promote the new two-way community messaging system currently being piloted — ‘Devon and Cornwall Alert’.

Operated by Devon and Cornwall Police, the system allows those who sign up for alerts to choose the type of information they receive, how they receive messages — whether by email, text or telephone — and at what time of day.

Vashti added: “It’s free, you can specify what time of day you would like the message. You will receive information that you choose — it could be geographical or an interest that you have. You might own a 4x4, it could be around rural crime or marine crime.”

To register visit alerts.dc.police.uk

On her work in the area, she said recently she had a ‘good result’ at Pengelly in Delabole. The yellow lines had faded with people parking obstructing access for the fire service. Vashti worked with local councillors to help get the yellow lines reinstated.

A traffic warden was also employed to hand out tickets. Vashti said: “As an ex traffic warden I’m very aware police no longer enforce parking restrictions — we can work in partnership with Cornwall Council and we can get the enforcement.

“I’m just a doer, I don’t like being told ‘no’. I see ourselves as a police service. Even if it’s not our remit I would seek and find out whose remit it was and who we could work with to make the changes.”

As well as the PCMO role, Vashti is on the regional board for the independent charity Crimestoppers. She said: “It is the only completely anonymous medium for reporting crime.” Vashti leads on Crimestoppers ambassadors and campaigns. It is hoped the charity can find more ambassadors.

She said the role can be as involved as the volunteer wants, adding: “It’s not asking loads from people.”

Those interested in finding out more about being a Crimestoppers ambassador can email Vashti on [email protected]