The House Opinion Article | Neighbourhood policing is returning to our streets

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Before entering Parliament, I worked for the Crown Prosecution Service, building cases against those who had committed serious crimes.

In that role, I saw first-hand the impact crime has on victims, families and communities, but also how much of that harm could have been prevented if the right policing had been in place earlier.

It’s something I hear about constantly from my constituents in Amber Valley, people frustrated by shop theft, anti-social behaviour, and the sense that too often nothing is done. That’s why neighbourhood policing matters so much.

Under the Tories, it was hollowed out. Officers were taken off the streets, neighbourhood teams were cut back, and communities were left to deal with the consequences.

We have all felt the impact of these policy decisions. Shop theft has surged, anti-social behaviour has become a daily frustration, and phone snatching and street crime are increasingly common. 

That is the reality this government inherited, and it’s why rebuilding neighbourhood policing has been a clear priority for this government from day one.

This week’s milestone shows what that looks like in practice. More than 3,000 additional neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs are now in place — two months ahead of schedule — and we’re on track to deliver 13,000 more by the end of this Parliament.

Crucially, we’re already seeing the difference this makes.

I’ve been out on patrol with our safer neighbourhood teams in all three of my towns in Amber Valley and I know many of my colleagues have done the same in their constituencies. I saw the value of the relationships the officers and PCSOs have built up with members of our community. It reminded me of so many cases I prosecuted throughout my career where the offender had only been identified and subsequently brought to justice because people had the confidence to speak to their local police teams about what had happened.  

Over just two months this winter, increased patrols led to nearly 18,000 arrests across more than 600 towns and cities. Many of those arrests were for the kinds of crimes people deal with every day: retail theft, street crime, anti-social behaviour. Offences that might not always make headlines but have a huge impact on how safe people feel.

I know that none of this is a quick fix. Years of decline can’t be undone overnight. But after 14 years of neglect, we are finally turning things around.

Linsey Farnsworth is Labour MP for Amber Valley