Delivering Safer Streets has always been a top priority. I have campaigned for more police since becoming an MP.
The Government announced (Autumn 2019) a further 20,000 police officers across the UK. In Essex we are receiving funding for an additional 135 officers in the first wave. This is on top of the 368 increase in Essex Police officers over the past two years. September was a record month for new applications to join Essex Police.
A new local City Centre Policing Team is now active in Chelmsford prioritising knife crime, drugs and anti social behaviour. New Police Community Support Officers have been recruited in Chelmsford, especially in the City Centre. A new Policing Hub has been opened which enables our police to work more closely with CCTV operations and other teams.
I meet regularly with our police officers and others working to reduce crime, including Neighbourhood Watch representatives across Chelmsford. I often raise their questions and suggestion with government ministers.
In Westminster we have been working to strengthen laws on carrying knives and other offensive weapons, to combat domestic violence and protect victims and to address on-line harms in order to make sure that people are as safe on line as they are in off line. I have also supported the new laws against Upskirting and FGM in order to protect women. I have also campaigned for the Domestic Abuse Bill which enhances protections for victims.
Recent announcements from the Government include new measures to tackle county lines drug gangs, to equip more officers with Tasers, and to strengthen sentencing for offenders.
