It has been an honour and a privilege to conclude my service on the Crime and Policing Bill Committee, which has been scrutinising the new, tougher laws line by line, as it goes through parliament.
It’s an incredibly vital piece of legislation, designed to strengthen policing in the UK and ensure that our community in Southend West and Leigh is safer and more secure.
We are tackling the epidemic of anti-social behaviour, theft and shoplifting that has exploded under the last government.
We will
- Give police stronger powers over mobile phone thefts
- Introduce Respect Orders to tackle the worst anti-social behaviour offenders
- End the immunity for anyone caught shoplifting goods worth below £200
- Deal with the scourge of off-road bikes, giving police new powers to seize vehicles causing chaos in our communities
The Bill also includes measures to address the most serious violence and highest-harm offences such as knife crime, violence against women and girls, cybercrime, child sexual abuse, and terrorism.
This Labour Government will take back our streets and town centres, restore respect for law and order, and give the police and local communities the support and tools they need to deal with local crime.
More Police for Southend
Measures in the Bill are being backed up by the recruitment of 13,000 extra neighbourhood police officers and 11 new officers have already arrived here in Southend. The Labour government also stepped in with extra funding for Essex Police to save 99 Police Community Support Officers from being cut by the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
For too long residents in Southend West and Leigh have had to put up with rising town centre and street crime, and persistent antisocial behaviour, while neighbourhood police have been cut. And for years too little has been done to tackle the most serious violence of all, including knife crime and violence against women and children.
I am proud to have been part of framing the new Crime and Policing Bill to take back our streets and town centres, restore respect for law and order and give police and local communities the support they really need to make Southend a better place to live.
by David Burton-Sampson
MP for Southend West & Leigh
david.burtonsampson.mp@parliament.uk