Tory Lies On Police Numbers

Tory lies on police numbers
The Tories spending plans would mean police numbers slashed.

Last week Oliver Letwin announced the Tories latest crime plan – more police officers. But his announcement is blatant deception - Tory plans for massive spending cuts would mean drastic reductions in police numbers and in crime prevention.
The Tories have learnt nothing. Crime doubled under the last Tory government, and their new plans for 20 per cent spending cuts would mean massive cuts for the police, with 1 in 5 police officers axed, and huge reductions to spending in the fight against crime.
‘They are looking at the target of 20 per cent savings across the board in government spending where that spending is not delivering any extra services, and we are beginning to look at figures which will build up to that.’
Iain Duncan Smith, Telegraph, 31 December 2002
Shallow Tory promises are nothing new. Shadow Chancellor Michael Howard promised an extra 5,000 police when he was Home Secretary, however police numbers actually fell by 1,400 between 1992 and 1997. The Tories could not be trusted in government and cannot be trusted now.
Labour has been working hard, making Britain safer since our election in 1997. Latest statistics show that with Labour:
 Overall crime fell by 9 per cent last year and by 28 per cent since 1997 (British Crime Survey).
 Burglaries are down 41 per cent
 Car crime down by 34 per cent
 Violent crime is down 26 per cent, since 1997 (BCS 2002).
 Police numbers are at record high levels (131,548 as at Sept 2002) and more are planned.
 In addition, there will be 4000 police Community Support Officers in post by the end of 2004, helping the police fight crime and anti-social behaviour.