More must be done to increase police numbers across West Yorkshire to tackle the “very real and very worrying” rise in crime across the Shipley constituency, an MP has warned.
Shipley MP Philip Davies praised West Yorkshire Police in the Commons for “valiantly” dealing the surge in crime but urged Home Office ministers to act to protect the public.
He said: “The first duty of the government is to protect the public and I have to say there is a very real and very worrying spike in crime right across my constituency that the police are trying valiantly to deal with. West Yorkshire Police are increasing police numbers and that is very welcome but what can she do to make sure they can increase them much further and faster to help them reassure the public in my constituency, clear up these crimes and do what we want to do which is protect the public, because there is a very real and worrying rise in crime right across my constituency.”
Figures released earlier this year show crime across the Shipley constituency rose 17 per cent from 5,479 in 2015 to 6,465 last year. Burglaries saw a huge increase of 47 per cent from 500 to 735.
Home Office Minister Sarah Newton said: “I can assure him everyone in the Home Office wakes up every morning thinking what more can we do to keep our nation safe that is our absolute first duty. In terms of the crime statistics it is not fair to say all crime is rising, there has been a worrying increase in violent crime and that is something we have been acting at pace with determination, supporting front line police officers with a whole series of action plans relating to knife crime, to acid attacks to the spate of activity we have seen in London, to moped enabled crime.
“We have seen a very strong partnership working across the criminal justice system to make sure they have the powers and the resources they need to go and prosecute crimes as swiftly as possible so that his community and every community across our country feel safe.”
Mr Davies said there was nothing worse than being a victim of crime and he will continue with his hard-line approach to crime, calling for more resources and tougher sentences for criminals.