Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan has welcomed new plans to crack down on crime by introducing a Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee with increased town centre patrols, substantially expanded neighbourhood policing teams, a named neighbourhood officer for every community, and tough action on antisocial behaviour (ASB) and drug dealing.
The policy, which will be announced by Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in a speech today (Thursday) will outline how the next Labour government will get police and PCSOs back on the beat with a major expansion of neighbourhood policing.
Enforced by 13,000 additional neighbourhood police and PCSOs, and underpinned by new legislation, the Guarantee will increase police visibility in every community and assign named officers and PCSOs for every ward, as well as significantly increasing local action to tackle ASB, and prevent growing numbers of young people being drawn into gangs and violent crime.
Nationally, just 12% of full-time police officers are designated as in neighbourhood roles – down from 19% in 2015, a drop of 6,000 police officers. The number of Police Community Support Officers has halved since the Conservatives came to power in 2010.
The most recent crime statistics show a 42% increase in reported robbery since 2015 and 82% increase in knife crime in the South East.
The number of PCSOs across the South East has collapsed by 43% since 2010.
Labour’s plans are the equivalent of giving every constituency in England and Wales 15-20 extra neighbourhood police – formed of officers, PCSOs, and Specials.
Labour will promise 13,000 new neighbourhood police and PCSOs underpinned by new measures to ensure all police forces increase patrols and community prevention teams.
The pledge will be backed up by new training, technology and inspection frameworks for neighbourhood policing, which will be a priority for Labour’s Home Office in government, backed by early legislation.
Portsmouth South’s Stephen Morgan MP, said:
“I want Portsmouth to be a city that is safe to live and safe to visit, but police cuts are having consequences for our city. Under the Conservatives, across the country 6,000 neighbourhood police officers have been axed since 2015, and the number of Police Community Support Officers has fallen by more than 8,500 since 2010.
“Police visibility in Portsmouth needs to be increased to tackle antisocial behaviour and to prevent young people in particular being drawn into crime.
“That’s why Labour has committed to rebuilding neighbourhood policing, investing in our communities and keeping our city safe”.
Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper MP, said:
“For 13 years, the Conservatives have deliberately run a hands-off Home Office, failing to take proper action on serious areas of rising crime, such as youth knife crime, drug dealing, fraud or town centre anti-social behaviour, and failing to introduce serious policing reform.
“Their laissez faire approach to crime and policing has badly let communities down. Labour will take a fundamentally different approach. We know that strong communities are safe communities. We believe in high standards in public services and in active Government.
“That’s why a Labour Home Office will work with communities to prevent crime and catch criminals and require new high standards in policing and the criminal justice system.
“At its heart that means rebuilding and renewing the neighbourhood police who are at the heart of our communities and the fight against crime. Labour is the party of law and order.”
Alongside the neighbourhood policing pledge, Labour will legislate for new higher national mandatory standards on police vetting, training, and misconduct as part of an overhaul of culture and standards in policing.
Last month Stephen Morgan warned the government that the failure to invest in neighbourhood policing teams has left communities to fight crime and anti-social behaviour on their own.
The City MP will continue to lobby government to make sure Portsmouth officers have the resources and numbers they need.
