Give our police the resources they need to do their jobs, says local MP

Liz McInnes, Labour Member of Parliament for Heywood and Middleton

Last week I spent a day with Greater Manchester Police observing the work they do and speaking with them about concerns raised with me by constituents. I also spent a lot of time listening to their concerns and the common thread running through all the conversations, whether with new trainees or those higher up the ranks, was about cuts to the police service and the damaging effect these cuts are having.

It is forecast that, compared to 2010, GMP will have around 2000 fewer officers and 500 fewer PCSOs on our streets by 2020. Those officers I spoke with last week are acutely aware of the impact that this reduction in their numbers is having, and will continue to have, on their day to day work.

Officers are increasingly having to prioritise work so that the most urgent cases are dealt with first, but despite the difficulties the force is facing I was struck by the enthusiasm and dedication shown by all those I spoke with. Many of them said that policing was a vocation and not just a job and talked of the dedication of their colleagues and how, in common with many other public services, they were prepared to put in extra unpaid hours just to make sure the job was done properly.

One concern which was raised was the knock-on effect of cuts to other emergency services, such as the ambulance and mental health services, with the police often being left to pick up the pieces caused by the gaps left in the provision of these services. One message I came away with was cuts to one service will inevitably impact upon another, the law of unintended consequences being very apparent here.

I spent some time shadowing the Neighbourhood Police in Langley and saw for myself the impact a police presence can have. Sadly, I also saw the aggression and insults from some members of the public which the police have to endure on a day to day basis.

Although the police are struggling with reduced numbers, they are constantly looking at ways in which to improve the service, and are planning to introduce a new shift system which has been very successful in neighbouring Oldham and Tameside.

This doesn’t involve increased numbers of staff but changes the way in which current resources are used and additionally gives Heywood & Middleton its own dedicated Inspector. This system has certainly helped both the crime clear up rate and also staff morale in Oldham and Tameside so it is to be hoped that it will be equally beneficial to the constituency of Heywood and Middleton and to the borough of Rochdale as a whole.

Labour are committed to increasing the number of officers on our streets. Those who serve in the force deserve nothing less than the full support of politicians and government. We must give them the resources they need to do their job.

Liz McInnes MP