Former Ipswich Town striker charged in £600k cannabis smuggling case

The big picture: Public meetings allow residents to engage with high-level police officials. Ipswich MP Jack Abbott criticised the original decision not to hold one in Suffolk's county town.

Why it matters: The U-turn, following requests from Abbott and a local councillor, ensures Suffolk's county town will be included in the schedule, addressing concerns about its initial omission.

Event details:

• Date: Tuesday, 15 October 2024

• Time: Doors open at 6:00pm for a 6:30pm start

• Location: It will be held at the Ipswich International Church Hall, 1 Burlington Road, IP1 2EU

What they're saying:

Abbott welcomed the decision: "I am pleased that the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable have listened to my concerns and will now be hosting a Police Connects meeting in Ipswich."

Tim Passmore, Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner, stated: "We have an extensive community engagement programme which covers events right across the county. In the last month I have joined the local policing team at three separate events in our county town centre and have engaged with a wide cross-section of the community."

Passmore added: "If any particular community requests a public meeting we do our best to accommodate this. Following a couple of requests from a local councillor and the MP we have organised a meeting in Ipswich on October 15."

What's next: Ipswich residents will have the opportunity to attend the meeting on 15 October to ask questions and learn more about local policing efforts.