The deputy leader of Sunderland Labour Group has welcomed a pledge by the Government to bolster Northumbria Police with over 100 new officers.
Cllr Kelly Chequer, deputy leader and portfolio holder for health, wellbeing and safer communities at Sunderland City Council, believes the Government’s ‘Summer crime blitz’ will strengthen frontline policing and restore safety and confidence in local communities across the North East.
Designed to crackdown on anti-social behaviour and crime across England and Wales, the campaign will see the Labour Government provide funding for 3,000 new neighbourhood police officers by March next year, a move which the Prime Minister says will ‘turn the tide against thugs and drug dealers.’
Cllr Chequer said: “The Labour Government said it would take back our streets through the deployment of more police officers, and this investment will see it do exactly that.
“Over a decade of austerity measures imposed by successive Conservative governments decimated local police forces across the UK, particularly here in the North East, so it’s fantastic to see the Government acting so swiftly to ensure we have more active police officers on our streets.
“By bringing back proper policing, it will see more officers deployed in our town and city centres, as well as communities once again having a named officer who they can get in touch with. It will improve lives and lift communities across the region.”
Sunderland Labour Group has also announced that it will soon unveil a series of new projects aimed at further reducing crime and supporting local communities.
“This is just the beginning,” Cllr Chequer added. “Safer communities and concerns about anti-social behaviour have ranked as a top priority for residents in the last two residents’ surveys, and as a listening council, we are determined to act on those concerns.
“This announcement from the government further strengthens the work we are already doing and shows the benefit to the people of Sunderland of having a strong Labour Council that is working hand in hand with a Labour Government to make improvements in communities across Sunderland.”