Lib Dems call for safer streets with more and better police

6.24.00pm GMT Mon 8th Feb 2010

"Getting more police on the beat and reforming the way they work is the only way to create safer streets" - Cllr Ann Holtom, Lib Dem candidate for Erdington

In a policy paper Safer Streets - More & Better Police the Liberal Democrats have committed themselves to providing 3,000 additional police nationwide to tackle crime and improve detection rates.

Welcoming the proposals, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Birmingham Erdington, Cllr Ann Holtom said: "This will put an additional 156 police on the streets of the West Midlands and provide additional officers in D2 OCU for Erdington and Sutton Coldfield. These additional officers will be funded from the money saved from the scrapping of the ID cards scheme".

"When only one in a hundred crimes ends up with a conviction in court its time for things to change. The other Parties talk tough on crime but they are unwilling to make the crucial decisions to cut crime & increase detection rates".

Other measure to make the police more effective are:

• To elect Police Authorities rather than appointing them. This will make Police Authorities more accountable to the people they serve.

• Publishing detection data and well as crime data on a ward basis to enable the effectiveness of the police to be open and transparent.

• Review the restrictive terms and conditions for police officers

Cllr Holtom said "Getting more police on the beat and reforming the way they work is the only way to create safer streets."