MP, Labour's Shadow Home
Secretary, responding to a letter in The Times from
a number of senior former police officers, said:
"This is a damning indictment of government policy and follows
the highly critical report from the chief inspector of
constabulary Tom Winsor.
“They are both clear that it is this government's cuts to police
numbers and support staff that are causing a crisis of confidence
in the ability to tackle serious crime. These are cuts that both
Tory contenders have voted for.
“You can't keep people safe on the cheap. Labour in
government will recruit thousands of new officers".
Ends
Notes to Editors
Text of the letter:
-
· FORMER
MET CHIEFS LAMENT ‘LAWLESS’ UK
The next prime minister will inherit the urgent task of
restoring confidence in the police service, which has had its
resources drained to dangerously low levels. The reduction of
police and support staff by more than 30,000, the virtual
destruction of neighbourhood policing and the inadvisable
undermining of lawful police powers such as stop and search, have
taken their toll. Common sense suggests that these factors have
contributed to the feeling of lawlessness generated by knife
murders and “county lines” drugs.
Police and crime commissioners, however well motivated, do
not have the skills or resources to address the emasculation of
British policing experienced in recent years. If they become
victims of crime, the public have perilously low expectations of
the police today. This cannot be acceptable in our modern,
diverse democracy.
It is the first duty of any government to protect its
citizens from harm. The responses to terrorism, cybercrime and
the restoration of police resources and confidence cannot be
provided by a fragmented system comprising more than 40
territorial police forces.
If ever there were a time for a royal commission on British
policing, it is now.
, Metropolitan Police
commissioner 1993-2000; ,
Metropolitan Police commissioner 2000-05; , Metropolitan
Police commissioner 2005-08; Sir Paul Stephenson, Metropolitan
Police commissioner, 2009-11; , Metropolitan Police
commissioner, 2011-17; Sir Keith Povey, HM chief inspector of
constabulary 2002-05; Sir Hugh Orde, president, Association of
Chief Police Officers 2009-16; Sir Mark Rowley, assistant
commissioner specialist operations, Metropolitan Police
2011-18
