Kennedy promises 10,000 more police
Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy today promised that the Lib Dems would put an extra 10,000 police and 20,000 community support officers (CSOs) on Britain’s streets if elected.
Launching the party’s law and order manifesto, the Lib Dem leader said the rollout of officers would put an average of 50 extra police officers and CSOs in every constituency.
“The fear of crime undermines whole communities. The elderly and vulnerable can feel defenceless which prevents people from living their lives to the full. That’s why our package is based on visible policing,” Mr Kennedy said.
“Seeing a police or community support officer on patrol provides positive reassurance and an effective deterrent to would-be criminals.”
Mr Kennedy also pledged to equip officers with handheld computers and the latest speech recognition technology to cut paperwork and increase the amount of time spent on actual policing.
“We need our police officers out in the community, not stuck in the station. In an eight-hour shift, the average police officer only spends an hour and a half on patrol. We need to shift that balance,” he added.
“To help achieve this, we will give the police the technology they need and simplify the bureaucracy they face when reporting.”
