Chair urges Home Secretary to review policing policy.
Bedfordshire Police Federation chair Jim Mallen has urged the new Home Secretary to review the Government’s policies on policing as a matter of urgency.
Jim has welcomed the fact that Sajid Javid, who has taken over at the Home Office following Amber Rudd’s resignation on Sunday, has pledged to re-consider immigration policies but also wants him to tackle the crisis in policing.
“In the wake of the way that the Windrush generation has been treated, I am pleased that the new Home Secretary has immediately spoken out on this issue and wider immigration policies,” says Jim.
“However, he also has to urgently consider policing policies and in particular the funding issues which have hit our force very hard.
“There is a real crisis in policing with the Government’s cuts programme putting the police service under huge pressure. Crime - and most worryingly violence and knife crime - is on the up as the demand for our services has increased at a time when the numbers of officers on the streets has plummeted.
“Mr Javid now needs to address this crisis and instigate a re-investment in policing, for the sake of the police service, the public and police officers themselves.”
The Home Secretary is usually a key speaker at the annual Police Federation conference which is being held in Birmingham on 22 and 22 May.
It has not been confirmed if Mr Javid, MP for Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, will attend.
“I hope he is able to attend the conference, particularly as it is being held so close to his constituency,” says Jim, “Of course, at the time of conference he will only be three weeks into his new position so he will be on a steep learning curve as he seeks to get to grips with all matters under Home Office jurisdiction.
“But what better way could there be to find out about policing than hearing first-hand from Federation delegates at conference? After all, they are the real experts in policing and can tell him about the challenges and difficulties officers are facing on the front-line.”
