Chairman Steve Taylor: Properly fund policing

THE next Government must properly fund policing and help the service to tackle some escalating levels of crime.

Steve Taylor was speaking at the Police Federation of England and Wales Conference after current Home Secretary Amber Rudd claimed that the Conservative Party had promised to protect the police budget between 2015 and 2019.

“We welcome that if that is the case as it should mean that we won’t be getting less than we’re already expecting to get. It took her a while to get across that point but that’s a positive, if they are not going to get any lower.

“Forces are still finding efficiencies to meet the already low state of the budget, a number of my colleagues during conference were able to pin her back to whilst the chief is ultimately responsible for delivering policing, the Government give them the tools to do the job, and one of the tools you’re not giving them is an adequately sized budget.”

During the conference session, there was some debate over whether crime is really down, as the Conservative Party claim.

“She’s sticking to the independent crime survey suggesting that crime is down,” said Steve. “Not all crime is down. So that’s reflected in Essex, violent crime is on the increase, knife crime is becoming more and more concerning, particularly where related to gangs and street gangs.”

Steve has previously called for the next Government to reinvest in police.

He added: “Is there a party of the police anymore? I’m not so sure there is. Reinvestment in general probably won’t happen. But, indirect investment in mental health facilities would be a good thing so that we are no longer seen as the service of last resort.

“So if you don’t want to give the money to the police then find the money and give it to the mental health workers in the community, and to the NHS.”