Reporting Back: Oliver Ryan MP Burnley, Padiham & Brierfield:
A Needed Boost for Our Police
It’s been a busy time down in Westminster. I've been sitting on the Finance Bill committee, and I've voted on a few big items, including lifting the two-child benefit cap. In our area, this will lift more than 5,000 kids out of real poverty.
It’s not a magic bullet, but here, poverty isn’t the child's fault.
To the meat of it - I want to talk about crime and policing, and particularly anti-social behaviour. We all see it, be it shoplifting, abuse in the streets or just people being a nuisance in town.
I'll start by saying a big thank you to our officers in Burnley, Padiham and Brierfield. They do so much and I can't praise them enough - but they've been under resourced and under supported for years and years.
People have lost respect for our police; lost the expectation they'll show up and lost confidence in the powers that be. Why? Because for 14 years, the Tory government cut 18,000 officers from our streets, and we’ve all felt the difference.
We have fewer serious incidents and statistically safer streets thanks to the actions this government has taken, but anti-social behaviour is rising. We've got to be straight about the fact that people don't yet feel safer.
It’s my job to make that happen. I want to see antisocial behaviour cut, and repercussions handed out. I want to see quicker response times. Police will now be expected to reach serious incidents within 15 minutes, maximum. This is alongside 999 calls being answered within 10 seconds.
Shorter wait times means less time spent in dangerous situations.
We also need to slash the red tape that keeps our officers stuck behind their desks. Our officers need to be on the streets, making sure we have a team that addresses the needs of our community effectively. We will hold failing forces to account because you deserve to feel safe.
You’ve also probably heard about the creation of a new National Police Service responsible for tackling serious and organised crime (like the FBI). This will allow local police officers to focus on local issues.
Only Labour is giving fully funded, tough but fair action that will restore neighbourhood policing, speed up police responses and improve quality.
I want you to see police regularly, and have the confidence they'll be there when you need them, so you feel safer going about your day.
As always, if you need advice or support, get in touch at [email protected], call 01282 216398, or visit my office on Grimshaw Street.