Lib Dems promise 3,000 more police
Thursday, 4 February 2010 12:00 AM
By politics.co.uk staff
The Liberal Democrats have outlined their proposals to swap the ID cards scheme with 3,000 more police officers.
Leader Nick Clegg said it was "time for things to change" as only one in 100 crimes end up with a conviction in court.
By using the money saved from scrapping ID cards, his party argues in today's general election plans on crime, the Lib Dems claim to be able to solve an extra 24,500 crimes in England and Wales each year.
"With so many forces seeing cuts in numbers, this is the right time to be promising a longer arm for the law," Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said.
"Getting more police on the beat and reforming the way they work is the only way to create safer streets."
The party also proposes introducing elected police authorities, publishing detection data as well as crime data at ward level and reviewing the "restrictive terms and conditions for police officers".
"Labour and the Conservatives may talk tough but they are unwilling to make the crucial decisions to cut crime," Mr Clegg added.
The Lib Dem strategy comes at a time when police numbers are falling in 18 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales.
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