Fear of crime rises in Hull North as police cuts bite

Bransholme and Orchard Park residents in Hull North have told Labour's Diana Johnson about increasing problems of crime and anti-social behaviour since recent policing cuts.
In a survey of the area that Diana Johnson recently conducted as the local MP the majority of residents said that they have experienced an increase in anti-social behaviour in the past year 71% in Orchard Park and 55% in Bransholme.
Over 8 in 10 respondents in both areas opposed the Coalition Government's weakening of powers to combat anti-social behaviour. 97% of Bransholme residents and 92% of Orchard Park residents want the police and local authority to have stronger powers to deal with anti-social behaviour.
The most recent official crime figures also showed increases in violent crime nationally and in Hull.
Labour has pledged to halt Tory and Lib Dem plans for even deeper cuts to police numbers, raising extra money through measures such as abolishing Police and Crime Commissioners.
Hull North MP and Labour Shadow Home Office Minister Diana Johnson said: "It's clear that many residents in Orchard Park and Bransholme are concerned about the reduced police presence in their neighbourhoods and believe that anti-social behaviour is getting worse locally.
"The thin blue line is becoming too thin under the Coalition and we have started to see the first increases in crime since the 1990s. Technology should make it easier to continue cutting time, but this will only happen if Police have the numbers and powers to deter and detect crime and anti-social behaviour.
"Frontline police numbers have been slashed by 15,000 nationally since 2010, even though the Lib Dems pledged a 3,000 increase in full knowledge of the deficit. Worse still, Coalition spending plans would mean 200 more Humberside Police going in the next few years on top of the 300 that have already gone since 2010. Powers to combat anti-social behaviour have also been weakened under the Coalition.
"If elected on 7 May, Labour will axe the Coalition's Police and Crime Commissioners and use the money saved towards halting plans for further cuts to frontline policing."