POLICE officers from Northern Ireland paid a visit to Crewe last week to find out about a pioneering scheme in the town.

Last year Leighton Hospital saw its own police station open follow a rise in crime at the Accident and Emergency unit and in the grounds.

Leighton is one of only two hospitals in the country to have its own police station and its opening was featured in the Police Review.

Officers from the Royal Ulster Constabulary are preparing the policing plan for West Belfast and came to Crewe last Wednesday to find out more about the scheme.

Chris Patten has been looking at the RUC and is due to give a report which is likely to include big changes to the system.

"There is a big hospital in Belfast with a crime problem and the police are looking, in the future, at closing one of two of the police stations and opening one at the hospital," said sergeant Martin Baker.

"They came to Crewe because we are one of only two in the country and because we are not responsible solely for policing the hospital which is what they want.

"It was a very successful visit. They found it very useful and were impressed by the way it is viewed by the police, hospital and the community."

RUC officers Chief Inspector Hugo Frew and Sgt Colin Davies met PC Nick Parry and ward sister Cathy Gadd and nurse Steve Hassall on the Accident and Emergency Unit (picture left).

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POLICE officers from Northern Ireland paid a visit to Crewe last week to find out about a pioneering scheme in the town.

Last year Leighton Hospital saw its own police station open following a rise in crime at the Accident and Emergency unit and in the grounds.

Leighton is one of only two hospitals in the country to have its own police station and its opening was featured in the Police Review.

Officers from the Royal Ulster Constabulary are preparing a policing plan for West Belfast.

"There is a big hospital in Belfast with a crime problem and the police are looking, in the future, at closing one of the two police stations and opening one at the hospital," said sergeant Martin Baker.

"They came to Crewe because we are one of only two in the country and because we are not responsible solely for policing the hospital which is what they want.

"They were impressed by the way the Leighton scheme is viewed by the police, hospital and the community."

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