William MacDougall worries as special constables are down by 57% since 1997 02/10/04

William MacDougall, Tottenham's Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, today pointed to newly published government figures showing the number of special police constables across London has fallen by 57% per cent since 1997. Special constables are voluntary uniformed police officers and assist
regular police officers in frontline policing duties, particularly in patrolling in town centres.

But to reverse this decline, Conservatives nationally have now pledged that
special constables should be paid an annual allowance, in the same way that
Territorial Army reservists are paid.

MacDougall said:

"Special constables play a vital role in neighbourhood policing, especially
in providing a welcome uniformed presence in town centres during the day and night. But specials, like full-time officers, are being overwhelmed by
bureaucracy and paperwork; falling morale has led to the number of specials
in the London Metropolitan Police plummeting by a massive 57% per cent since Labour came to power."

He added:

"Conservatives pledge to reverse this decline, not just by cutting police
paperwork, but also by paying special constables an annual allowance - just
as we do with army reservists. If we can restore numbers to pre-1997 levels,
this could represent a near doubling in size of the Special Constabulary.
On top of this, we would fund 8,539 more full-time police officers on the
beat across London (City and Metropolitan services), cut the political
correctness which creates red-tape, and give local communities a greater say
on where police resources should be focused."

ENDS.