Ian Flynn - Dudley North - Candidate Promises to Campaign to Hold Government to Account on Police Funding
Email: i.flynn@dudley-libdems.org.uk
Twitter: @DSH_Libdems
Facebook: @dshlibedems
'Update: Ian hadn't been made aware by the police that officers had intercepted the youths leaving the scene and gave chase, which has emerged since from the statement to the press. He is very grateful for the actions of the police on this occasion. However, the concerns about police numbers, funding and access to local police stations still remain'.
Pledges have been made to restore police funding, but the public are right to be sceptical, as Conservatives have presided over 10 years of major cuts to police numbers. Liberal Democrat candidate for Dudley North knows the affects of this at first hand.
Hearing voices outside in the early hours of Sunday 17th November, Ian Flynn, who is standing as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Dudley North at the General Election on December 12th, thought he was hearing his neighbours returning late from a night out. However, after hearing the sound of what seemed like breaking glass and an alarm, he went outside at 2.40am to confront what was actually a motorcycle theft in progress.
'It all happened so fast, and I was shocked at how young the perpetrators were.' Once I realised what was happening and made known to them that they'd been caught in the act, I went inside to dial 999. What was really disappointing was that the police didn't turn up until 10.30am, 8 hours later, despite be reassured twice that they were 'blue-lighted' and on their way.
Before the closure of the local police station a couple of years ago, we had officers within the town, but now fewer officers are having to cover vast distances to respond in Dudley Borough.
I don't blame the brave officers on the streets, but the cuts have gone too far, to the point where we can no longer feel safe, and know that the police will attend when a crime has been committed. Three years ago when reporting a burglary at a previous address, the forensics officer who turned up was covering the entire West Midlands that evening by himself, from Wolverhampton to Coventry!
The government has made big promises on police numbers, but we won't forget that it was their party that cut the numbers in the first place, and they're promising to give back less than they took away.
The West Midlands force has had to sell buildings and centralise staff to save money. But at what cost?
We're not providing residents with the service they receive in similar economies. Those returning from the World Cup in Japan for example will have been struck by the presence of local 'kobans' or police boxes, where there is an officer 24 hours a day. We may not need to go to those levels, but a police station in every town would be a start, like we had until recently.
If elected to represent Dudley North, I will work with colleagues and across party to make sure the government restores police funding to acceptable levels. I know to my own cost the impact of these cuts.