Over many years, both the Conservatives and Labour have allowed Britain to descend into lawlessness.
Theft from shop has increased by nearly 75% since the millennium. Social media is full of videos of people breezing into shops, with no shame or any attempt to conceal their actions, and taking whatever they like. Shopkeepers are in despair as the Police often don’t bother to investigate, and even if they do catch someone, the courts give a light slap on the wrist, if any sentence at all.
Pick-pocketing, bag snatching and phone theft has gone up by a similar amount over the same period. The Mexican government advises their citizens to be ultra careful in London.
And sexual offences, including rape have increased by 239%.
How have we reached this state and what are Reform going to do about it?
Action 1: Reform UK will recruit more police officers.
The Conservative’s Theresa May, when she was Home Secretary, cut police numbers by 20,000. This is a major contributory factor to the rise in crime.
When in government, Reform will recruit an extra 40,000 new front-line officers.
Action 2: Reform UK will introduce Zero Tolerance Policing
Anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour is out of control. We see mobs of youths storm shopping centres, having fights with machetes in broad daylight in front of terrified mothers and children, and we see litter, graffiti and vandalism everywhere.
Reform will clamp down on all crime and anti-social behaviour.
Knife Crime
Knife crime is out of control. In London, it has doubled since the millennium.
We will increase Stop and Search substantially.
And we will insist on prison sentences for violent crimes and for possessing a knife.
Drug Crime
Drug crime is out of control
We will ensure drug dealers and traffickers will be given mandatory life imprisonment.
We will introduce a new offence: “Substantial Possession of Drugs” which will result in heavy fines.
Action 3: Reform UK will introduce a new Police Leadership and Recruitment Regime
The root cause of much of the failure to tackle crime and disorder effectively is Senior Police Leadership. And the source of their many failed ideas is the College of Policing.
We will De-Politicise the College of Policing.
We will sack Chief Constables who have carried out “two-tier policing.”
The standard of many police officers is way below what we expect. Many are Police Community Support Officers who do not have the powers of regular officers and many are Special Constables who are not on paid. Some are unfit. Some are physically slight and easily intimidated by offenders. Some have committed terrible crimes themselves, such as fraud, rape and even murder. This is all down to a failure of recruitment, vetting and training.
Reform will replace degree-standard entry with an entrance exam.
We will give a strong preference for ex-military officers and personnel.
We will demand high standards of fitness and presentation for front line officers.
We will require officers to complete a 2-year probationary period and enforce stricter entry requirements.
Action 4: We will put “more bobbies on the beat”
The way policing is being carried out is failing us. Reform will ensure that police return to the beat, use better technology and stop wasting time on paperwork.
We will allow PCSOs to become police officers before the role is phased out.
We will ensure that policing is based on common sense rather than Woke ideologies.
We will scrap all Diversity, Equality and Inclusion roles and regulations in order to stop two-tier policing.
We will overhaul the Independent Office of Police Conduct so that the police complaints system becomes more accountable and works for the law- abiding public.
In Conclusion
Under Reform, we will “prioritise crime prevention, discipline, public service and high standards of strength and fitness among trainees.”