Birmingham MP calls for extra neighbourhood police officers following latest crime stats
Preet Kaur Gill, MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, has written to the Home Secretary.
One of Birmingham's MPs has written to the Home Secretary calling for more police officers in neighbourhoods to tackle rising levels of crime.
Preet Kaur Gill, Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston believes 15-20 extra neighbourhood police in every single constituency, as Labour has pledged, would make a difference.
The most recent crime statistics for the West Midlands show a 71% increase in reported robbery since 2015 and knife crime in the region stands at the highest rate anywhere outside of London.
Preet Kaur Gill MP said, “Policing cannot be done on the cheap – whether in terms of funding or Officer numbers. Fewer Police means victims feel let down, fewer criminals face justice, communities feel under threat and public confidence in the Police falls.
"In my constituency, residents too often tell me that they never see a police officer on the beat.
“This is why I wrote to the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman MP, to ask what she would say to my constituents who are deeply fearful for their communities and when my constituency and region will see Police and PSCO numbers increased?
"I look forward to receiving her response however, I fear that we won’t begin to see any reduction in crime or anti-social behaviour until we have a General Election and secure our next Labour Government.”
The Home Secretary announced in December that the police sector will receive a funding boost of up to £287 million in the next financial year to help victims feel safe and deliver more visible policing.
The rise will take total funding for policing up to £17.2 billion, which the government said will mean police and crime commissioners across England and Wales will receive a nominal increase of up to £523 million from government grants and precept income to focus on driving down anti-social behaviour and neighbourhood crime.
Suella Braverman, said: "Our police make sacrifices every day to protect the British people, and I am steadfast in my admiration for our hardworking, brave and dedicated officers.
"It is vital that we continue to invest in the priorities that matter most to our communities, and we must do more to cut crime and restore confidence in our police.
"With over 15,000 additional officers already recruited and thousands more on the way, this package will support our forces to get the basics right and keep communities safe across country."