Last month the Government delivered on its 2019 manifesto commitment to recruit an additional 20,000 police officers by March 2023, in fact they exceeded it.
Delivering on this pledge and keeping our communities safe is one of my key priorities for our constituency. With an additional 500 officers, the largest and strongest force in its 182-years history, and an increased budget of nearly £364 million, they can deliver on the Government’s priority to Get Crime Down.
They have already introduced new Town Centre Teams, boosted Neighbourhood Policing, and introduced a new Rural Engagement Team (RET), helping to focus on cutting rural crime, anti-social behaviour in our towns and villages and working to keep local communities safe.
Having recently joined the RET for a police ride-along and having spoken with residents and local farmers during roundtable discussions on rural crime, I know just how valuable these officers are for Chelmsford and Uttlesford.
The Government’s Beating Crime Plan and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act that I voted for in Parliament is also helping to crack down on illegal hare coursing, unauthorised traveller encampments, and gave greater powers to officers to tackle disruptive protests, all concerns that are frequently in my inbox.
However, I am keen to expand on my understanding about how local residents experience and perceive crime, particularly rural crime. Rural crime can have a huge impact on our communities. Too often it goes unreported, and we need accurate information to reduce crime in our area. It is an important part of bringing forward changes and solutions, which is why I’m encouraging residents to take part in my online rural crime survey, which is now live on my website: www.kemibadenoch.org.uk/kemi-badenoch-mp-rural-crime-survey-2023
I want to hear from residents, local farmers, business owners and anyone who has experienced or has concerns about rural crime in our constituency. I will report back on the results of my survey and work with the local police and authorities to ensure our communities are safe for us all. If you have any questions or feedback, do email me at [email protected]
