Cleveland Police Chief - Things are not OK.

Cleveland Police Chief Constable Mike Veale has today outlined the challenges, as he sees them, facing modern policing.

• Things are not okay

• The cuts created and caused by austerity are too deep and have gone on for too long

• Give us the tools and we will do the job

Chief Constable Mike Veale said: “Every day of the week there are officers and staff out on our streets keeping people safe and protecting our communities by showing the utmost courage. Policing in the 21st Century is a risky business where criminals are more sophisticated, more resourceful and more dangerous than they ever have been before. Every day of the week that courage and tenacity results in dangerous criminals being locked up, vulnerable people being protected and members of the public helped in their greatest hour of need.

“Within a few months of my joining Cleveland Police as the Chief Constable I made it clear to all my staff that I want them to push the boundaries, be on the front foot, be in the face of criminals and be audacious in their approach. Those who say that the police service has had a culture of blame where risk aversion has been debilitating and impaired the trust and confidence of leadership in rank and file are right. This will not happen in my force.

“It’s absolutely right that local people expect safe streets and secure homes; this is at the heart of British policing. We will get more officers out into our communities and that is what we’re doing through a root and branch review of our services and transformation of the technology we use. But we must remember that it is not just about uniformed colleagues patrolling the streets anymore, as it was 20 or 30 years ago. An officer on the streets means an officer not looking after children online, not investigating crimes such as murder, rape and complex cases of child abuse or domestic violence. These are the challenges we face, and we will meet them head on.

“These are complex issues and while simply crying ‘austerity’ is not good enough no one in policing today can claim it isn’t a factor. Forces across the country including Cleveland are more efficient and more effective than ever before but despite this efficiency the service we are providing the public is nowhere near where it needs to be.

“I would not be exhibiting the courage that my officers and staff deserve if I continue to say we have enough resources, if I continue with this commentary that things in policing are okay. They are not okay. The cuts created and caused by austerity are too deep and have gone on for too long.

“We have brilliant people doing a brilliant job but we do not have enough of them and the facts speak for themselves. It is about time that trend was reversed so that we can protect our communities, protect the most vulnerable and protect everyday people who go about their business and protect them with courage, kindness and compassion.

“My message is clear; give us the tools and we will do the job."

Simon Clarke MP (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) met with the Home Secretary, Sajid Javid MP on Wednesday to highlight the resources required to enable Cleveland police to tackle crime effectively across Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.

Simon outlined the strong plan set out by new Chief Constable, Mike Veale, to ensure Cleveland police have the maximum number of deployable officers available within the constraints of their existing £125 million budget, whilst emphasising the importance that the demand for more resources is considered carefully in the upcoming Police Funding Settlement which will be announced in December. During the discussion the Home Secretary committed to arguing for increased central Government spending on policing in the 2019 multi-year Spending Review, a commitment to which Simon has pledged his support.

“I am very clear that more needs to be done to tackle crime across our constituency and have made the depth of concern felt in our communities very clear to the Home Secretary,” said Simon, “this is my number one domestic policy priority and I will keep banging the drum for the resources our area needs to get on top of crime.