ADVER readers have shared their top priorities for tackling crime in the town after the launch of a new survey.

Use Your Voice is one of the foundation blocks on which new Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson will base his blueprint for strategic policing and crime priorities until 2025.

News of the consultation – which is now open at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GS3CLXY – sparked a debate on the Adver's Facebook page and here is a selection of the comments...

Chris Hoskin: "Bring back the detention centre and lift the law on that we are not allowed to discipline our children. This is why our streets are full of hood rats and kids who think it's cool to carry weapons. That is the way to solve the knife crime or any crimes."

Marc Watson: "It’s been said so many times before but more uniforms actually on the beat not sat in a car cruising around. Physically engage with the local community like the old style beat bobby, whether that be police or PCSOs but you served to make your presence felt and seen as proactive and not reactive."

Angelina Charlotte: "Prevent the criminal in the first place. More accessible youth workers and clubs before they get to the stage where crime is the only option."

Louise Ricobi: "Harsher sentences for knife crimes."

Dave A Morton: "Tougher penalties for knife crime and paedophiles. And let parents discipline their kids like we were in our day. I think that would solve a lot of the issues."

Laura Cook: "Police used to get to know the people on their beat. They would go into youth clubs and chat to kids so they knew they were approachable. Now they just sit in cars and stare if you see them at all."

Sioban Lee: "Our police do all they can with the resources and budget they have. It's the justice system that lets them down – the hours of work the police put into bringing a criminal to court for the court to give them a telling off that is nowhere near as bad as your dad's used to be. I commend our police force for at least trying in a system that lets them down more often than not."

Ben Blakey: "More funding, more officers on the beat, investigate even the smaller crimes and not just dish out crime reference numbers and hope the problem goes away."

Mariana Araujo: "Help the youth. Community centres need to reopen and ask the Army to volunteer and teach our youth with some activities to keep them busy."

Richard Balch: "Bring back a police station back to town centre and patrol the streets more. Clear the drunks and druggies out of the town and actually do something about them hanging about outside the old Debenhams store."

Tony Persico: "Awful and arrogant drivers breaking the speed limits and driving dangerously on many roads."

Sue Harding: "The criminals aren't going to stop unless there is harsher punishment – take a life, do life in prison, paedophiles should also get life for messing with the life of the person, and drugs... harden up on them. All criminals get away with things too lightly."

Mandy Marie Baker: "Tougher punishments need to be given, otherwise no point. Drugs and knife crime and people feeling safe in Swindon should be a priority. Domestic violence should also be a priority as its not only the person receiving the abuse that's affected. It effects the family too watching a loved one go through it then the courts let them off with a slap on the wrist."

Cam Rose Onslow: "Tackle online predators and watch convicted paedophiles like a hawk! Slap on the wrists and suspended sentences completely unacceptable."

Barry Cox: "Let's have more presence in town centre and stop the town smelling from cannabis being openly smoked."

Lee Harrison: "Start arresting people for imitating firearms and carrying knives. Get more police out of their cars and out on the beat.

Alan Wilson: "Similar comments from the new PCC to his predecessor. Angus Macpherson told us time and time again that there would be more police officers out and about after he put our council tax up, yet I cannot remember the last time I saw an officer on the streets."