West Midlands crime rise: Police DO have sufficient resources, insists Government
The Government has hit back over claims that police underfunding is responsible for a spike in crime in the West Midlands, insisting that the region’s force has the resources it needs to get the job done.
Crime has rocketed by eight per cent in the West Midlands over the last year, which senior officers and the region’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) attribute largely to continued budget cuts from central government.
But the Home Office says it has protected police spending, with West Midlands Police receiving £1.6 million more direct resource funding this year than it did in 2015-16.
The claims have been branded 'disturbingly misleading' by West Midlands PCC David Jamieson, who says that in real terms the force has lost £145m since 2010.
A Home Office spokesman said that decisions on where to deploy resources and the size of the police workforce ‘are a matter for chief constables and police and crime commissioners’, adding that ‘police forces continue to have the resources they need to do their important work’.
The spokesman added: "The Government has protected overall police spending in real terms since Spending Review 2015 and this year West Midlands Police is receiving £1.6m more direct resource funding than in 2015-16.
“In light of the recent, appalling terrorist attacks we are engaging with the police about the demands they are currently facing to ensure they continue to have the resources they need to keep us safe.”
Mr Jamieson said the Home Office was 'alarmingly out of touch' on the issue and accused the Government of using 'disturbingly misleading' figures.
He said it was an 'indisputable fact' that WMP received £6m less in Government funding this year than it did last year.
"As a former teacher of mathematics I would have been very disappointed if any of my year sevens made an error with that sum, let alone the Government," he added.
"There is a big difference between money that the Home Office distributes to local police forces - which is most definitely falling - and money that is raised through council tax that has had to be increased locally to plug the gap in falling central payments.
"The Home Office’s statement is at odds with police and crime commissioners and chief constables who are actually doing the work of delivering policing in people’s neighbourhoods.
"What is more worrying is that the Home Office’s statement is also at odds with recent comments by the Home Secretary when she admitted that that police resources ‘have been pulled very tightly.’
"They need to put pride aside and admit that crime is rising, the threats we are dealing with are growing too and give police and crime commissioners the resources we need to keep our communities safe."
All forms of crime bar drug related crime rose over the last year in the West Midlands. Robberies were up by 14 per cent and there were increases in recorded violence and burglary by 11 per cent and theft by nine per cent.
Possession of a weapon increased by 17 per cent.
The Office for National Statistics says the increases can be explained by improved crime recording practices by police, and victims of under-reported crimes such as sexual offences and domestic abuse having greater confidence in coming forward.
WMP did not respond to the Express & Star's request for a comment.
