This Government will show police officers the respect they deserve
Publication: Daily Telegraph
By: Priti Patel
Date: 5th September 2019
The Government’s commitment to policing is about more than just increasing the number of bobbies on the beat
Our police officers do a fantastic job every day keeping our streets, communities and country safe. They’re the best in the world and they are a force for all of us. And, we need more of them, which is why one of the first pledges of this government was to bolster the police’s ranks by 20,000 new officers.
The Prime Minister could not have been clearer when he stood on the steps of Downing Street. This is a priority for the government and we’ve wasted no time putting our promise into action. Now, just six weeks later as our national recruitment campaign launches, I’m issuing a rallying cry for people from all backgrounds to join the police and be a force for all.
The police are the very best of this country. They are courageous, professional and dedicated, and the public want to see more of them on our streets. In the fight against crime, lawlessness and intimidation, we must give our unswerving support to the police as they carry out their demanding duties.
Those who sign up to become one of the 20,000 will do so knowing they’ll make a huge and positive difference to people’s lives. Up to 6,000 new officers will be brought in during the first year. They will be shared among the 43 police forces in England and Wales and every one of them will make a vital contribution to keeping their communities safe.
Every day police officers intervene in neighbourhood disputes, comfort and support victims and ensure that some of the most vulnerable people in our society do not come to harm. We are on their side and there should be no police office on the beat today who is not absolutely assured that their dedication to the job is properly recognised. They are a force for the community.
As a constituency MP in Essex, I’ve regularly seen at close hand the dedicated work our police do day in and day out. And since becoming Home Secretary, I have travelled around the country meeting officers of all ranks, hearing about their roles and routes into policing.
On my third day in the job I travelled to the West Midlands with the Prime Minister to meet a group of new recruits and I’ve met many more since then. I have been absolutely blown away by their dedication, commitment to public service and the diverse range of backgrounds they come from. I strongly believe that our campaign to put thousands of new police officers on our streets gives us a once in a generation opportunity to attract more police officers from all walks of life and professional backgrounds.
The primary objective of this recruitment campaign is clearly about getting more police officers on our streets. But, it is also about reminding the general public what our brave and hardworking police officers do on a day to day basis. It is about restoring pride in policing as a profession.
There’s no doubt that there has been a break down in law and order across our country. We’ve seen brave officers attacked and even killed in the line of duty while they are just trying to make our streets safer. We’ve seen communities rocked by knife crime and drug-running county lines gangs. Crime and violence injure not only the victim, but all of us, by spreading fear and making the streets no-go areas for decent people.
Ultimately, the police are there to protect our way of life and freedoms. Without them, we would struggle to live in peace and safety. It is right that we remind them of our appreciation for that.
I will do everything in my power to ensure all police officers get the respect from the public that they deserve. That is why am accelerating plans for a police covenant. This will be a pledge as a country to do more for serving and former police officers, and will give them the respect that their service truly deserves.
Reinforcing that sense of pride in our police will ensure they can safeguard our communities and rid our streets of crime. Because only by protecting them can I do my job and protect the public. Our police recruitment drive is the biggest in decades. It is a fantastic opportunity for individuals, for communities and for the country as a whole.
Recruitment starts now – so join our world-class police and be a force for good, a force for community, a force for all.