COMMUNITY leaders have called for closed-circuit television cameras to be installed after police admitted there were almost no officers on duty in Princes Risborough over Easter.

Princes Risborough town councillors and community association members made the calls after police also revealed that the town will lose one of its four beat officers in June.

Residents fear that crime could rise in Princes Risborough unless CCTV is introduced.

Tom Kingham, of Princes Risborough Community Association, said CCTV would be instrumental in combating vandalism and the threat to pedestrians in the town centre.

"I'm concerned that the town centre is under-manned by police," he said. "CCTV will be a good deterrent against crime if the police are not there and video surveillance will give us evidence when crimes occur."

PC Alex Ramsay, of Princes Risborough police, told a town centre forum last week that just one officer covered the Procession of the Silent Witness march on Good Friday instead of the expected four.

He said: "Two of the four officers were committed in Amersham and only one Special was able to attend Risborough. I would like to think it will not occur again."

David Allworth, chairman of Princes Risborough Town Council, said: "If the present levels of policing continue, CCTV is one of a number of options we will be considering.

"But the best solution to beating crime is an interested, effective and mobile police force with a visible officer on the beat. We wish to see the place adequately policed in the future."

Alan Page, chairman of Wycombe and District branch of Pensioners' Voice, said: "CCTV has got to be a move forward for crime prevention and is a deterrent.

"Anything that reduces crime must be encouraged."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.