Labour slam 'empty rhetoric' on vandals as Rishi Sunak unveils 'jumpsuit' plan

25 March 2023 , 22:30

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Labour warned there are so few police on the street any pledges to deal with anti-social behaviour are "empty" (Image: PA)

Labour last night urged the government to restore neighbourhood policing with bobbies on the streets tackling antisocial behaviour.

Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper accused the Tories of empty rhetoric on antisocial behaviour while there are so few police on the beat to take enforcement action or prevent crime.

It comes as Downing Street announced plans to force vandals to wear jumpsuits and wash police cars as ‘rapid’ punishment.

The Prime Minister said his plan, due to be announced on Monday, would "crack down" on anti-social behaviour "once and for all".

A key plank of the measures will be making justice "immediate" and ensuring that communities can visibly see efforts to clean up vandalism and graffiti.

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Other punishments could include picking up litter, washing police cars or doing unpaid work in shops, according to Downing Street.

Officials said the UK Government's anti-social action plan was about establishing a "zero-tolerance approach where offenders know they will face the full consequences of their actions".

Sunak announced plans to make vandals wear jumpsuits and wash police cars (PA)

Labour warned Tory pledges to recruit 20,000 police officers was merely a replacement of officers already cut.

Since 2015, the total number of officers assigned to neighbourhood roles has fallen by over 6000, dropping from 23,928 to 17,303.

Neighbourhood officers are now routinely taken out to cover shortfalls in 999 response teams or cover back office and administration roles.

According to the latest official update the Conservatives still needed to recruit 3247 additional officers in the space of 3 months to meet their March 31 target to reverse the overall cuts.

Meanwhile experts warn that the numbers leaving the force will make it even harder to hit the target - in 2021/22 there was a 35% increase in officers leaving the force.

Nationally, just 12% of full-time police officers are designated as in neighbourhood roles – down from 19% in 2015. The number of Police Community Support Officers has halved since the Conservatives came to power in 2010.

In 2012/13, there was one neighbourhood officer or PCSO for every 1,650 residents, and this dramatically reduced to one for every 2,400 residents by 2021/22. While the number of people saying they never see the police on the beat has doubled since 2010.

Labour would put 13,000 police officers and PCSOs into neighbourhood roles paid for by merging procurement of IT, Cars and other equipment for the 43 separate police forces.

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The neighbourhood officers would play a key role in tackling antisocial behaviour alongside new Respect Orders to crack down on the most persistent offenders and hotspot policing to support problem areas and target specific issues in town centres and local communities.

Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper said: "Neighbourhood police have been decimated under the Tories. In too many towns and neighbourhoods nothing is being done about nightmare antisocial behaviour and crime because there just aren’t any police.

"Residents are being driven up the wall but no one comes. That’s the damage the Tories have done over the last 13 years. All we get from Tory Ministers is empty rhetoric - if they won’t put the police back on the beat then it doesn’t matter what they say, antisocial behaviour will keep getting worse.

"The next Labour government will put 13,000 police and PCSOs in neighbourhood roles because everyone deserves to feel safe.”

Speaking ahead of his plan's publication, Mr Sunak’s said: "For too long, people have put up with the scourge of anti-social behaviour in their neighbourhoods.

"These are not minor crimes. They disrupt people's daily lives, hold businesses back and erode the sense of safety and community that brings people together.

"That's why I'm bringing forward a new plan to crack down on this behaviour once and for all - so that everyone can feel proud of where they live."

Mikey Smith