Government Minister Karen Bradley has praised Cheshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, whose dedication has ensured the county’s officers are "top of the cops." Mrs Bradley, the Minister for Crime, has welcomed incumbent John Dwyer’s pledge to increase front-line policing across Cheshire as part of his election manifesto.
She said: “John has done a fantastic job since he was elected in 2012. Cheshire Police was one of only five forces in the country to be recently named as Outstanding for efficiency, which is a fantastic accolade and testament to the hard work of John, the Chief Constable, Simon Byrne, and his team of officers.
“The Conservatives are committed to maintaining local police forces and are protecting funding over the course of this Parliament, once local precepts are taken into account. This will allow forces to adapt to changing crime threats.
“Crime has already fallen by more than a quarter under this Government. In the year to June 2015 there were 6.6 million crimes, 2.9 million fewer than the 9.5 million in the year to June 2010. Police officers are also more likely to be working on the front line. We have increased the proportion of police officer in front line roles from 89 per cent in March 2010 to 91.6 per cent in March 2015 .”
John said: “I’m proud of the record of Cheshire Constabulary in driving down crime to make our communities safer. Overall crime in the county is down to its lowest level since the 1990s and in the last year alone police recorded burglaries are down by 19 per cent; the sort of crime that affects people the most. Having a strong and visible police presence on our streets has been key, in my view, to this success, but there’s more to do.
“Greater efficiency, streamlined administration and focused investment has enabled Cheshire Constabulary to put more than 2,000 officers on our streets already, helping protect the most vulnerable in our communities. As a former police officer, with 30 years’ service, including as Assistant Chief Constable for Cheshire, I know first-hand how much this matters to local people.
“My commitment, if re-elected as Police and Crime Commissioner, is to maintain this ongoing investment in police numbers. That’s why my most recent budget set the target of 2,053 frontline police officers by March 2017. This is a growth of 70 frontline officers in our communities and is a commitment I’m determined to see through in my drive to make Cheshire the safest county in the country in which to live and work.”