Britain is safer under Labour. Crime is down 32 per cent since 1997. Today, there is less chance of being a victim of crime than for more than 20 years.
Due to Labour’s policies crime is down, and, thanks to our investment, there are over 14,000 more police officers on our streets alongside almost 16,000 Police Community Support Officers.
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING TEAMS
• From April, every area in England and Wales will have its own dedicated neighbourhood policing team.
• These teams – consisting of police officers and Police Community Support Officers – will work in harness with local neighbourhoods, listening to and talking to their communities.
• People in every community will know the names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of the neighbourhood policing team officers and staff who are directly and personally responsible for their household; the priorities of the neighbourhood team will be shaped by local people.
But we are not complacent – we know there is more to do. Across the country, Labour councils are working to make life tough for those who are making life a misery for others, using new powers – introduced by the Labour Government - to crack down on anti-social behaviour, to tackle fly-tipping and ensure cleaner neighbourhoods.
For example Labour-run Manchester City Council have recently pioneered a ground breaking ‘Super Respect’ plan which, by cracking down hard on anti-social behaviour whilst offering young people a range of activities, has been hugely sucessful in cutting levels of anti-social behaviour.
Labour councils are saying enough is enough on anti-social behaviour because we know that when a minority of people do not play by the rules it can ruin the lives of the decent majority.
We introduced new tools to get tough on anti-social behaviour - such as Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs), Dispersal Orders, Penalty Notices for Disorder, and the power to ban on-street drinking - and Labour councils are using these to create safer and cleaner neighbourhoods.
The most recent figures proved that Labour Councils issued more ASBOs than Tory or Lib Dem councils: Labour-controlled Manchester issued over twice as many as nearby Lib Dem Liverpool.
Labour has prioritised action to improve public spaces and clean up our streets and towns. We have given local authorities powers to tackle graffiti, abandoned cars, fly tipping, noise pollution and other environmental concerns.
Labour believes that everyone has a right to live in a clean, safe neighbourhood, protected from crime and the fear of crime. Working with the Labour government, Labour councils up and down the country are acting to make this a reality.
OUR COMMUNITIES MUST BE SAFER PLACES TO LIVE, SO:
•In 2008 every community will have its own dedicated neighbourhood police team, easily contactable by the people who live in that community.
•By 2009 our ambition is to have reduced violent crime, theft and burglary so that the average chance of being a victim of crime will be lower in nearly 30 years.
•In 2010 there will be more than 7,000 new prison places through the largest ever prison-building programme.