Our campaign to get more cops on the street has generated a lively response from our readers - and now we want you to post your comments online.
The Ealing Gazette has created an internet poll to coincide with the launch of our new website, and we want people to back our efforts to get more fully fledged officers out on the beat and protecting our communities.
Council leader Jason Stacey believes Ealing is understaffed compared to neigbouring boroughs and has calculated that Ealing is due up to 72 more PCs to bring it up to the London average.
He believes gaps in the force are having to be plugged by police community support officers with limited powers, and will ask for for more officers at a meeting with London Mayor Boris Johnson in December if fellow councillors vote to support the campaign.
He said: "I want to be able to show the strength of feeling in the borough and carry on a conversation I had with the deputy mayor, but I really do need the council's support."
Our campaign struck a chord with readers - more than half of whom cited anti-social behaviour in their area as a problem which urgently needs addressing.
Some of those who sent in coupons for our campaign have been repeat victims of crime, including one from Old Oak Common Lane, in Acton, who was burgled three times.
Jean Evans, of Clairville Gardens, Hanwell, said: "I have lived in Hanwell for 44 years and I can count only very few times I have seen a policeman near my road."
Another reader from Makepeace Road, Northolt, said: "The police do a wonderful job but are just so overstretched. They're just not capable of meeting all the demands."
And Val Clover, of Ealing Broadway, said: "Police walking the streets area deterrent. Criminals laugh at PCSOs and special constables. Get them out of their cars where they can be seen."
Policing levels are set by a complex formula based on population, crime levels, response times and other factors.
Cllr Stacey calculates that Ealing has one police officer for every 428 residents, compared with one for every 375 residents in Brent and 1 for every 305 residents in Hammersmith & Fulham. The London average is one officer for every 398 residents.
He also found that 48 crimes are committed for every police officer in Ealing, one of the highest rates in London.
He will ask councillors to support the campaign in the next council meeting on October 21.
Show your support for our campaign and leave your comments in our forum .
