Liberal Democrats put community policing and youth services at heart of crime strategy

The Liberal Democrats passed the "United Against Crime" policy motion at their recent Autumn Conference in Bournemouth.

The new policy sets out an ambitious plan to prevent crime, ensure people feel safe and protect civil liberties. It includes a commitment to restore community policing, with two extra neighbourhood police officers for every ward in the country, as well as investment in youth services, mental health services and the National Crime Agency. It also proposes a new Online Crime Agency to effectively tackle online crimes such as personal fraud and threats and incitement to violence on social media.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary Christine Jardine, who proposed the motion, commented "We are facing an epidemic of violence that is destroying far too many young lives. Robberies are rising too, and communities feel less safe than they used to. Unnecessary Conservative cuts have taken thousands of police officers off our streets, contributing to the rise in serious violence and leaving too many victims without their cases being solved. To make things worse, Boris Johnson wants to waste police time on suspicion-less Stop and Search, which doesn't work to prevent crime, and Priti Patel wants people to feel terror about the police."

Christine added "Liberal Democrats demand better for our communities. We will put more police on our streets, focused on the community policing that actually prevents crime. And we will invest in a public health approach to stop the spread of violence, restoring the youth services that keep young people away from gangs and crime. The bold new plan the Liberal Democrats have agreed today will make our communities safer and make people feel safer too."