Lib Dems would put 3000 more police on the beat to tackle crime

11.55.00am GMT Thu 4th Feb 2010

In the cities run by Lib Dems, crime has reduced faster

The Liberal Democrats today set out their General Election plans for reducing the incidence of crime in our communities. Launching "Safer Streets - More and Better Police" during a visit to Durham, Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg MP and Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne MP will reveal research showing that police numbers have fallen in 18 out of the 43 police forces (42%) in England and Wales since 2005. Two thirds of these police authorities are currently controlled by the Tories and one third by Labour.

The new officers proposed under Liberal Democrat plans could be expected to make an additional 27,500 arrests and solve more than 24,500 extra crimes each year in England and Wales alone. The extra officers, funded by the savings from scrapping ID cards, would be provided over the course of a Parliament with every area in England, Wales and Scotland benefiting.

The plans to cut crime through more and better policing also include:

• Elected police authorities

• Publishing detection data as well as crime data at ward level

• A review of the restrictive terms and conditions for police officers, including introducing an annual fitness check for all officers on the beat

Nick Clegg points out: "The Liberal Democrats are the only party that wants to cut crime by putting more police on the street. When only one in a hundred crimes ends up with a conviction in court, it is time for things to change. Labour and the Conservatives may talk tough but they are unwilling to make the crucial decisions to cut crime."

Chris Huhne added: "With so many forces seeing cuts in numbers, this is the right time to be promising a longer arm for the law. The Liberal Democrats would rather have more police officers and catch more criminals than continue with unnecessary and expensive ID cards. Getting more police on the beat and reforming the way they work is the only way to create safer streets."

The Lib Dems have recently exposed the fact that that half of Labour's Criminal Justice laws passed since 1997 have not been implemented.

A Government statement shows that:

• Of 19 Criminal Justice Acts since 1997, there are 68 sections and 25 schedules as yet unimplemented

• Nine of the 19 Acts contain provisions that have never been implemented

• These include Custody Plus, which was never implemented due to 'resource constraints' and which the Government admits it has no plans to ever carry through, as well as the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses

Wantage and Didcot spokesman Alan Armitage said: "This Government's legislative diarrhoea is at its worst in the area of criminal justice. It is astonishing that Labour are pressing ahead with yet more law in this area when half of the Acts they've passed in power have not been fully implemented. This is a Government that has created over 4,000 new criminal offences since taking office and spread confusion among police officers and judges. The sooner this torrent of pointless hyperactivity is stopped, the better for all of us."