Gen Kitchen MP column: Labour is putting bobbies back on the beat
Anti-social behaviour is a problem for so many of us in Wellingborough and Rushden. That is why I am proud that this Labour Government is introducing new policing reforms which will help tackle rising crime, speed up police response times and rebuild neighbourhood policing after years of Conservative failure.
The policies are part of the biggest overhaul of policing in two centuries. The police will have to respond faster to emergencies - with officers expected to reach serious incidents within 20 minutes in rural communities, and 999 calls answered within 10 seconds. Forces that fail to meet these standards will face direct intervention.
Alongside faster response times, the changes will modernise policing for the digital age. With around 90 per cent of crime now leaving a digital footprint, police forces across England and Wales will recruit more crime analysts, cyber investigators and digital forensics specialists to help track down fraudsters, online abusers and organised criminal networks.
Locally here in Wellingborough and Rushden I have been working with our police force on a range of issues. Whether it be anti-social behaviour on the Greenway or surrounding All Hallows Church in Wellingborough. I am also planning on spending a morning out on the beat with some of our local officers here in Rushden to see first hand the amazing work they do.
I have two taskforces, one in Wellingborough and one in Rushden which look at tackling anti-social behaviour as part of the work we do. I was pleased to see that the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Danielle Stone, recently selected Rushden as a pilot location for an early intervention program to reduce poor behaviours in young people.
New analysis shows that under the last Conservative government, street crime surged - with shoplifting up by around 70 per cent and theft from the person rising by around 60 per cent - while neighbourhood policing collapsed. By the time the Tories left office, there were more than 18,000 fewer officers and PCSOs in neighbourhood roles than a decade earlier.
Every council ward will have named, contactable neighbourhood officers, with residents guaranteed a response to local concerns within 72 hours. You can find your local officer here: https://www.northants.police.uk/area/your-area/
Local forces will also be held to clear national standards on neighbourhood policing levels, response times and crime outcomes, with results published so the public can see how their force is performing.
This Labour Government is putting bobbies back on the beat and ensuring our communities stay safe.