Braverman’s boasts will “ring hollow” for crime victims waiting hours for police to turn up

26 Apr 2023

The Liberal Democrats have warned that Suella Braverman’s boasts on police numbers will “ring hollow” for communities waiting hours for the police to turn up.

Research by the Liberal Democrats published today reveals police are taking an average of five hours to respond to priority calls such as burglaries, with some forces taking up to 18 hours.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted, and able to focus on neighbourhood crime.

Commenting on the figures, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said:

“Suella Braverman’s boasts will ring hollow for communities that have seen community policing decimated under this government. Crime victims are waiting hours for police to turn up while the vast majority of burglaries go unsolved.

“The Conservatives have taken thousands of community support officers off the streets and bogged down local forces in unnecessary tasks. They can’t even get the basics right on crime.

“The Home Secretary can’t hide behind today’s statistics. She must finally commit to a return to community policing without delay. Otherwise, it’s just smoke and mirrors.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Full Liberal Democrat research on the police taking hours to respond to priority calls can be found here.
A YouGov poll revealed that 56% of people report to never see police on foot patrols in their neighbourhoods, up from 30% in 2014-15 (YouGov: February 2022; ONS, Table S10).
Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) numbers have plummeted under the Conservative Party’s watch, with over 4,000 PCSOs being taken off the streets since 2015.
Previous research by the Liberal Democrats has highlighted the Government’s failed record on crime - including that police attended less than a quarter of car thefts in 2022, and nearly 75% of burglaries went unsolved.
20,951 police officers have been recruited under the uplift. Please see Home Office, Police Officer Uplift, quarterly update to 31 March 2023.