The Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith launched the Labour Party's local election campaign in the West Midlands today at a meeting of community activists and local residents from Coventry.

The launch was one of a series across the country where Labour cabinet ministers were highlighting the importance of voting Labour in the elections in May and the stark difference between Labour and the Conservatives.

The meeting - in which residents discussed their views on fighting crime and anti-social behaviour - highlighted the importance of the newly rolled out neighbourhood policing teams to all communities across the country and local policing pledges that bring together local people and police to further reduce crime.

Gordon Brown MP, Prime Minster & Leader of the Labour Party said:

"Today marks a new era of policing, the first thing I want to do is thank all the police and PCSOs that are here. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all police and all PCSOs. Neighbourhood policing is working, the reason it is working is because people can see a visible police presence on the ground.

"Every community now has a visible, contactable, and accountable policing team, working with local people to keep their neighbourhood safe.

"I'm determined that every person has access to the same level of support and service when it comes to policing. That is why we are launching a new policing pledge to give everyone the opportunity to be involved in setting priorities in their area. I encourage everyone to get involved and have a say about how their streets are policed."

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith MP said:

"Today marks the start of a fundamentally different approach to policing - with the citizen at its heart. I am delighted to have reached this momentous milestone with over 3,600 neighbourhood policing teams in place, consisting of 13,500 police officers and over 16,000 Police Community Support Officers. I congratulate all the forces involved.
"This new approach to policing builds on changes also starting today to slash red tape and reduce central targets for police - freeing them up to spend more time on local priorities and tackling serious crime."

Labour's commitment to, and progress on, fighting crime is in stark contrast with the Tories who have no credibility on law and order. Despite the rhetoric, the Tories have continually tried to block Labour's investment in law and order and the tough measures we have taken against crime, including voting against tougher sentences for serious, violent and persistent offenders, and they repeatedly dismiss our anti-social behaviour measures as gimmicks. The Tories talk tough but vote soft.

Britain is safer with Labour. Crime is down 32 per cent since 1997 - the chance of being a victim of crime is at its lowest for 27 years - and we have provided over 14,000 more police and 16,000 Police Community Support Officers, giving every community in England and Wales its own Neighbourhood Police Team. And we will go further: By 2009 our ambition is to have reduced violent crime, theft and burglary by 2009 so that the average chance of being a victim of crime will be the lowest in nearly 30 years and we will provide 7,000 more prison places by 2010 through the largest ever prison-building programme.