Martyn Jones

Labour Party | Clwyd South

MP supports community involvement to fight crime

Martyn Jones MP for Clywd South stands behind the Government’s dedication to providing every community with a neighbourhood policing team.   

 

The Government is setting out to provide every community in the country with its own dedicated neighbourhood policing team by 2008 so as to deliver a cooperative policy that can most successfully combat crime. 

 

The idea of the neighbourhood policing scheme is to combine policing services with the local knowledge and intelligence of community members who will enable the police to focus on the community’s problem spots and local concerns.  Neighbourhood policing teams will know their local police officers and how to contact them; teams will have a real say in local policing issues; and they will know how well their police are doing in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in their community. 

 

While the number of police officers in England and Wales has exceeded previous numbers, and as of September 2004 now counts at 140,135, police numbers during Michael Howard’s time as Home Secretary fell by 1,132. 

 

In response to the Tory’s previous action and current pledge, Mr. Jones says:

 

“Michael Howard’s commitment to cut public spending by £35 billion is outrageous, and I have to question his intentions as well as that of any other who seeks to cut the means to keep our communities safe.

 

“The Government’s pledge to tackle crime is an undertaking not to be challenged.  There is nothing more important than the safety and well-being of our communities, and bringing police and community members together allows for the powers of local knowledge and police services to work together to provide a fantastic force against crime.” 

 

ENDS

 

 

Notes to Editors: 

 

• The Government’s community policing pledge includes the plan to have £340 million available by 2007/08 to fund 24,000 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).  The plan will be underway by the autumn of this year when each of the 43 police forces will select one of their Basic Command Units to implement and champion neighbourhood policing, by the end of 2007 the Government expects half the country to have PCSOs and to have full implementation by 2008. 

 

• The Home Office neighbourhood policing booklet “Your Police; Your Community; Our Commitment” is available at http://www.policereform.gov.uk/docs/neighbourhood_police.pdf.

 

·        For any other additional information contact Simon Rees in Martyn Jones’ Westminster Office on 0207 219 3417; mobile on 07855 494 182; or email at reess@parliament.uk