Police funding: Govt must address police chiefs' concerns

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

Commenting on the Home Office pledge to invest an additional £100m for neighbourhood policing in England and Wales. This is after several forces have warned that they will have to make cuts this year, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Lisa Smart MP said:

"This is just a drop in the ocean compared to what’s actually needed to restore proper community policing, after years of ineffective resourcing from the former Conservative government. 

"The Home Secretary needs to urgently address police chiefs’ concerns, who have been warning for months now about devastating budget shortfalls. 

"The government must step up to fix this by properly funding the officers our communities need  - not passing the buck to local police chiefs to put up people’s council tax instead. Only then will communities see the proper frontline policing they need, with more bobbies on the beat stopping and solving crime."

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

The BBC reported on the funding announcement here.