Rochdale MP, Tony Lloyd, backs Labour’s plan to clamp down on antisocial behaviour, as new statistics show 41 % cut to neighbourhood police numbers across the North West.

Tony said, “Far too often I have met with constituents who tell me of their experiences of anti-social behaviour. I have seen the devastating impact it has on them, some accept it as a way of life, and some are too afraid to leave their homes because they feel they have nowhere to turn.

“Whilst the Conservatives are busy with infighting, Labour has serious plans to prevent crime and catch more criminals.

“Putting police out on the beat and being visible in local neighbourhoods is vital for stopping crime and for keeping people safe.

“Yet under the Conservatives, neighbourhood policing has been decimated.

“The total number of neighbourhood police across the North West has fallen by over 41% over recent years, from 5,659 in 2015 to 3,312 in 2022.

“The last Labour government brought in neighbourhood policing and it will be the next Labour government who restores it, starting with community police hubs and local prevention teams to tackle crime at its source.”

More than 14 million people last year had their lives blighted by graffiti, drug dealing, and noisy neighbours.

Meanwhile the total number of neighbourhood police across the North West has fallen by over 41% over recent years, from 5,659 in 2015 to 3,312 in 2022.

Nationally, the total number of neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs has fallen by 10,000 since 2015.

In government, Labour will restore neighbourhood policing, with visible neighbourhood police hubs in all local areas backed by new neighbourhood prevention team made up of police, community support officers, youth workers and local authority staff.

These teams would prioritise being visible on patrols, preventing crime before it happens and working with communities to address local problem. They would pursue serial perpetrators of ASB or low-level crime, as well as dealing with visible signs of disorder such as broken windows, graffiti, fly-tipping, or drug dealing. These teams will also support victims of anti-social behaviour.  
In September 2020 the Home Secretary wrote to the Victims Commissioner to express her concern about “the serious impact that persistent anti-social behaviour can have on both individuals and communities”. Yet there have been no specific reforms since that point.

Labour has also pledged to give victims of persistent antisocial behaviour the same rights as victims of crime.


—Ends—

Notes for editors:-

• Reductions in neighbourhood police (officers & PCSOs), by region:-

Region	Year ending March 2015 (Officer / PCSO)	Year ending March 2022	Overall numerical fall	% fall
North East	981 465 1446	516 303 819	-627	-43%
North West	3953 1706 5659	2255 1057 3312	-2347	-41%
Yorkshire & the Humber	1876 1385 3261	1253 957 2210	-1051	-32%
East Midlands	1300 960 2260	1022 565 1587	-673	-30%
West Midlands	1742 1069 2811	1830 698 2528	-283	-10%
Eastern	2300 1028 3328	2719 371 3090	-238	-7%
London	6477 1159 7636	2341 599 2940	-4696	-61%
South East	3079 1469 4548	2941 1153 4094	-454	-10%
South West	1274 1054 2328	2031 814 2845	N/A	N/A
Wales	947 955 1902	394 836 1230	-672	-35%
England & Wales	23,928 11,251 35,179	17,303 7,353 24,656	-10,523	-30%

Sources:
2015 – https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2016 (Tables F1, F3)
2022 – https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-march-2022 (Tables F1, F3)