Police insist that mast must remain (From Gazette Series)

Police insist that mast must remain

CAMPAIGNERS against police communications masts in the centre of Dursley have received a response from the police stating the mast has to stay.

Controversy surrounding the three, six-metre communications masts on the BT exchange building in Castle Street has been ripe since the system went live in June.

Members of the Dursley Mast Action Group claim the masts, which form part of a new digital radio system for the police called TETRA (Terrestrial trunk radio), have serious health implications for people living in the vicinity.

The group wrote to Gloucestershire Police last month calling for the mast to be switched off.

In a letter to Chief Constable Dr Timothy Brain, mast action group chairman the Rev Simon Helme called for the county's police chief to take action.

"We urge you to get TETRA in Dursley switched off now," the letter said. But in a response written on behalf of the chief constable, Chief Supt Stephen Ackland stated this was not an option.

He said that TETRA was chosen by the Home Office as the basis of future radio communications for the police service.

"Since then the county's police authority has signed a contract with mmO2 for delivery of Airwave service," he said.

"As a result this system is now live and we are committed to using it for the next 15 years."

Chief Supt Ackland added the number and location of the masts were out of the constabulary's control.

"Removal of the Dursley antennae would create an hole in police communications in this area and this would seriously affect our ability to police in the town, place police officers in jeopardy and cause mobile service provider mmO2 to be in breach of its contract."

He added that while the police force did take concerns seriously, officers were not experts in radio technology and relied on information produced by other expert organisations.

"You have called upon the chief constable to have TETRA switched off in Dursley but that is not possible," he said.

"The Gloucestershire Constabulary is fully committed to responding to the needs of the community. In order to do so we believe that Airwave TETRA is the technology that best meets these demands.

"In reaching this conclusion we have taken reassurance from the opinion of mainstream scientific committees and bodies and the Home Office, all of whom emphasise that there is no evidence from any credible source that this technology, as applied, poses any discernible risk to health."

But the group is not satisfied with the response and has vowed to fight on Mr Helme, minister of Dursley Tabernacle, said: "The Dursley Mast Action Group is getting together early in the New Year to consider its response.

"My initial reaction to the letter from Chief Supt Ackland is that there is a conflict in what he says.

"How can he say that they take the health and safety issues seriously when they have switched the system on before all the safety tests have been completed?"