Durham Police Biggest Losers

12.00.00am GMT Wed 3rd Feb 2010

Mike Barker has revealed that Durham Constabulary has lost more officers, as a percentage of its total, than any other police force in the country. Between March 2005 and September 2009 Durham Constabulary slashed its number of police officers by 193, that's a whopping 11.1% of its 2005 total (1738 down to 1545).

All our ward surveys show that crime and anti-social behaviour is one of the most important concerns for local residents. With police numbers tumbling in the Durham Constabulary area, residents are right to be concerned about how well protected they are by an overstretched police force. With only one in a hundred crimes ending with a conviction in court, it is time for things to change.

Liberal Democrat plans for the police would put 3,000 new police officers on the beat across the country: making funds immediately available by scrapping the illiberal and unnecessary ID cards scheme.

The best way to cut crime is to catch the people who commit crime and set them on the straight and narrow. Labour and the Conservatives prefer instead to posture on penalties, but that's not much of a deterrent if there's little chance you'll be caught.

We will also make the police work better and more effectively. We will cut police red tape and give local people a bigger say in policing in their area. And we will reform the police too, with new fitness tests and action to attract the very best professionals to this vital area of public service.