- Figures released today show that 974 extra police officers have been recruited in West Yorkshire as part of the Conservative Government’s manifesto pledge to put 20,000 more officers on the streets.
- Since the recruitment drive was launched in 2019, the Conservative Government has now recruited almost 21,000 new police officers in England and Wales, according to new figures published today (Wednesday 26 April).
- The additional police for West Yorkshire builds on the Conservative Government’s Beating Crime Plan and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act –reducing crime, protecting victims and keeping our streets safe.
Jason McCartney MP has welcomed the announcement that 974 extra police officers have been recruited in West Yorkshire since September 2019, bringing the total number of officers up to 6,160.
This is Conservative Party delivery in action and represents the fulfilment of a key 2019 manifesto promise. It comes as part of a wider plan of action from the Conservative Government to tackle crime across the nation.
The Conservative Government’s Beating Crime Plan will deliver a safer Britain alongside record funding for our police, with a £17.2 billion policing budget for 2023–2024. This is alongside the Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Act which is giving the police and courts the powers they need to tackle serious crime head on. The Conservative Government is also delivering its Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, backed by £100 million in funding, making our streets and neighbourhoods safer for women and girls.
Since 2010, crime excluding fraud has been cut by over 50 per cent – making our communities safer. Theft has been reduced by 20 per cent and domestic burglary by 30 per cent. The Conservative Government has also taken 90,000 knives off our streets through stop and search, surrender initiatives and targeted police action since 2019.
When it comes to the safety of your streets and our neighbourhoods, only the Conservatives can be trusted to deliver.
Commenting, Jason McCartney MP said:
From working with our local police force, I know just how valuable 974 more police officers will be in helping crack down on crime in our local community.
These recruits mean there are now 6,160 police officers in West Yorkshire and more police officers than ever before across the country, helping to pursue criminals and tackle anti-social behaviour, keeping neighbourhoods safe for the law-abiding majority.
It is clear it is only the Conservatives who can keep our streets safe, give people peace of mind, and deliver on the priorities of the British people.
Commenting, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:
Everyone deserves to feel safe in their communities, on their streets and in their homes.
Now we've delivered our on 2019 manifesto promise, with more than 20,000 new police officers.
With a record 150,000 police officers across England and Wales, people can trust in the Conservatives to keep our streets safe and deliver for local areas.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The Conservative Government is tackling crime and protecting our communities by:
- Recruiting almost 21,000 new police officers, delivering and exceeding our manifesto promise, helping to keep our streets safe. We have recruited 20,951 new officers since announcing our Police Uplift Programme in September 2019, backed by £3.6 billion in extra funding, bringing the total number of officers to 149,572 – the highest number ever (HO, Official statistics, 26 April 2023, link; NAO, Press Release, 25 March 2022, link).
- Cutting crime, excluding fraud, by almost 50 per cent since March 2010, making our streets and communities safer. In the year ending March 2010 there were 9,544,000 offences in England and Wales excluding fraud and by the year ending June 2022 the number of offences had fallen to 4,930,000. The survey did not include computer misuse and fraud until 2015-6 so it is not possible to provide a comparison for all crime (including fraud and computer use) since 2010 (ONS, Crime Survey for England and Wales, 26 January 2023, link).
- Since March 2010, violent crime has fallen by 38 per cent; all theft offences have fallen by 47 per cent; and domestic burglary has fallen by 56 per cent (ONS, Crime Survey for England and Wales, 26 January 2023, link).
- Investing over £17 billion of funding in our police, giving them the resources they need to make the streets safer. Police funding is £17.2 billion for 2023-2024, including £1 billion for Counter Terror policing, as well as £1.1 billion for tackling national priorities such as county lines drugs, child sexual abuse, and modern slavery (HO, Press Release, 15 December 2023, link).
- Enshrining the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act into law, keeping dangerous offenders behind bars for longer. Our PCSC Act introduces whole life orders for child killers, life sentences for drivers who kill while intoxicated, and ends the automatic early release of dangerous violent and sexual offenders (MoJ, Press Release, 9 March 2021, link; Hansard, 5 July 2021, Division 44, link).
- Launching our £100 million VAWG Strategy, making our streets safer for women and girls. The Strategy will support victims by launching a 24/7 sexual assault helpline and VAWG Transport Champions, while making our society safer with revised educational guidelines and a £5 million Safety of Women at Night fund (HO, News Story, 21 July 2021, link).
