‘Essex Police need more cash to fight crime’
Yhan Mabanda will not be allowed to use a bicycle for three years - Credit: Archant
A police chief has called for more money to be pumped into the force after a “significant” rise in reports of violent and sexual crime in Essex.
Essex Police’s police and crime commissioner Nick Alston said it had increased by almost a third.
Office of National Statistics figures showed a steady increase in reports of sexual offences in Brentwood – from 26 in 2007 to 50 last year.
Mr Alston said: “I am clear that this is in part due to increased confidence amongst the public in reporting these crimes.
“However, if people tell Essex Police about such crimes, we must ensure that the force has the resources to investigate thoroughly.”
You may also want to watch:
He said Essex Police’s funding situation was “perilous” and it received less from local council tax than “almost any other force in the country”.
Mr Alston raised the policing precept – the amount of council tax paid to fund policing – to the maximum allowable amount, which was sixpence per week for a band D property, but says it’s still not enough.
Most Read
- 1 Consultations open on rolling out school streets to 12 new sites
- 2 Harold Hill 18-year-old given suspended sentence for ATM robberies
- 3 Coffee shop apologises for 'mis-post' offering kitten as Christmas prize
- 4 'Cheating surge': Dating site reveals how many people are having affairs in your area
- 5 Romford MP slams Crossrail delay as it will miss Queen's platinum jubilee
- 6 Future of bus route hangs in the balance as consultation ends
- 7 Cabinet to vote on proposed changes to how housing is allocated in Havering
- 8 Met Office warns of flooding risk with heavy rain set to hit London
- 9 Man charged with multiple child exploitation offences to stand trial
- 10 Shaken Not Stirred: James Bond fan co-founds group and brings thousands of 007 lovers together
He said: “This growing imbalance will have a direct impact on the force’s effectiveness. Already, the number of PCSOs in Essex has reduced from 445 in 2010 to 280 now.”
Mr Alston added: “I will continue to make the case with the new government for the removal of the cap on any policing precept increase for 2016-17.”
