Judith welcomes extra steps to tackle Crime and ASB in Bradford South

Judith on patrol with West Yorkshire Police

Labour to undertake summer blitz on town centre crime and antisocial behaviour in Bradford South

Shoppers and businesses in Bradford will see increased police patrols and local action to tackle crime on our high streets this summer, as the Home Secretary launches a major blitz to support safer high streets.

More than 500 locations have signed up to the Home Secretary’s Safer Streets summer crackdown, including Bradford.

The areas will see increased police patrols and local action to tackle anti-social behaviour. Increased police presence will be accompanied by stronger prevention and enforcement action by police, councils and other local partners.All Neighbourhood Policing Teams across the district will be liaising with local businesses and setting out local priorities for each ward. For instance, antisocial behaviour at Tesco’s in Great Horton will be a priority for the Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Over the past decade, shoplifting soared to record levels, with a staggering 70% increase in their last two years in office alone. The latest statistics show a 2% rise in shoplifting in West Yorkshire, with a 20% rise nationally.

Local Police and Crime Commissioners and metro Mayors have developed bespoke local action plans with police, businesses, and local councils with the aim of supporting town centres to become vibrant places where people want to live, work, spend time.

These plans include increased visible town centre policing and ramping up the use of targeted enforcement powers against troublemakers – including banning perpetrators from hotspots.

The blitz comes as part of the Labour Government’s Plan for Change, which will also put 13,000 more police personnel in neighbourhood roles over the course of this Parliament, backed by a £200m cash injection in the first year.

Thanks to this investment, West Yorkshire police force will get an additional 100 officers this year.

The summer initiative will also support young people, making sure there are activities across the 500 towns for young people to be involved in throughout the holidays.

The Home Office, alongside police, retailers and industry are also launching a new Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy, which will use shared data to assist in disrupting not just organised criminal gangs, but all types of perpetrators including prolific offenders who are stealing to fund an addiction and ‘opportunist’ offenders.

Creating thriving town centres where businesses and communities can flourish supports the government’s growth mission, raising living standards, backing local economies and supporting communities.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

“High streets and town centres are the very heart of our communities. Residents and businesses have the right to feel safe in their towns. But the last government left a surge in shop theft, street crime and anti-social behaviour which has left too many town centres feeling abandoned.

“It’s time to turn this round, that’s why I have called on police forces and councils to work together to deliver a summer blitz on town centre crime, to send a clear message to those people who bring misery to our towns that their crimes will no longer go unpunished.”

“The fact that Bradford has signed up shows the strength of feeling locally on this issue.

“Through our Safer Streets Mission and Plan for Change, we are putting officers back on the beat where you can see them and making our town centres safe again”.

Judith Cummins, the Labour MP for Bradford South, said:

“I welcome extra resourcing for the local police here in Bradford South.”

“It is vital that the streets of Bradford are free from thugs and from thieves. People deserve to feel safe in their homes, or whilst out and about across the city.”

“I welcome any steps taken to deliver a safer city for everyone across Bradford South.”