More crimes up than down in Haringey - local Conservatives call for reforms 24/0706

Justin Hinchcliffe, Chairman of Tottenham Conservatives, expressed concern today at new local crime statistics published by the Home Office, and supported a series of police reforms to improve the ffectiveness of policing and the criminal justice system.

The new statistics for Haringey show that violence against the person has risen by 49%, burglary by 42% and theft from a motor vehicle by 6% in the last year. Sexual offence crimes neither increased nor decreased from last year. However, burglary was down by 10% and theft of a motor vehicle by 9%.

Justin Hinchcliffe commented: "Many people in Haringey feel unsafe on the streets and in their own homes. Crime is not, according to the stats, going down and that's worrying. We need a combination of visible policing, tougher sentences, more freedom for the professionals and police reform and accountability to slash crime and make our borough
safer."

Local Conservatives are now calling for a series of changes to rebuild the effectiveness of the criminal justice system:


* Greater police accountability: Existing police authorities are too weak in relation to central government and they are invisible to the public. They should be directly elected or replaced them with an individual - such as a commissioner, sheriff or mayor - who is.
* Less red tape and paperwork: Free the police from the Whitehall bureaucracy that prevents them from doing their job.
* Reform police pay, conditions and working practices: Build better relationships between forces and the communities they serve, and radically improve the levels of morale and job satisfaction among rank-and-file officers.
* Trust in the leadership of Chief Constables: They should be set clear local objectives to cut crime - and then be given the responsibility and freedom to do so.

Justin Hinchcliffe added,

"The police officers in Haringey are working hard, but are being held back by Whitehall red tape that prevents them from patrolling the streets and catching criminals. This is why Conservatives want to see a stronger emphasis on neighbourhood policing and a greater say for local people on how police forces are run."

ENDS.