After years of failure and rising crime under the Conservatives, Labour is taking tough, practical action to restore visible neighbourhood policing, speed up police responses, raise standards and hold forces to account.
Under the previous Government, shoplifting shot up by about 70% and theft from the person went up about 60%, while neighbourhood policing collapsed.
By the time the Conservatives left office, we had 18,000 fewer police officers and PCSOs in neighbourhood roles across the country. Already, under this Government, Devon and Cornwall Police’s funding has increased by 13%, with 121 new officers on the street, 110 of which were funded by a £4.7m Home Office grant.
Police Officers and PCSOs work hard, supported by others in the force, to keep our communities safe, but they’re being held back by outdated structures and red tape.
As part of reforms announced this week, the creation of a new National Police Service will take responsibility for tackling serious and organised crime such as terrorism, fraud and online abuse – freeing up local officers to focus on everyday crimes like shoplifting, antisocial behaviour and street theft.
Officers will be expected to reach serious incidents within 15 minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in rural communities, and 999 calls will be answered within 10 seconds. Forces that fail to meet these standards will face direct intervention, including specialist turnaround teams sent in by the Home Secretary.
With around 90 per cent of crime now leaving a digital footprint, police forces across England and Wales will also be given support to modernise. They will recruit more crime analysts, cyber investigators and digital forensics specialists to help track down fraudsters, online abusers and organised criminal networks.
Every council ward will have named, contactable neighbourhood officers, with residents guaranteed a response to local concerns within 72 hours.
I know this will make a real difference to the lives of people in Exeter, with our police better equipped to catch criminals, cut crime and make sure people feel safe again in our city.
These new reforms will cut waste from the service and focus resources where they matter – on cutting crime and protecting our communities.
