Progressive Alliance Press Release: Figures obtained by a member of the public from Thames Valley Police have shown the Conservatives misled the public on the number of police officers in Milton Keynes.
At a recent public meeting, Thames Valley Police told members of the public that only TWO additional officers had been recruited to cover Milton Keynes.
Meanwhile, the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner made a public statement claiming that Milton Keynes had an additional 61 police officers over the past two years, while the local Conservative Party have said there are 92.
However, a recent Freedom of Information request, made by an independent member of the public, tells a different story. Figures from January 2022 reveal that since the general election, Milton Keynes has gained only 19 more police officers.
In fact, the number of police officers on the streets of Milton Keynes seems to be falling - in January 2022 there were actually five FEWER officers in Milton Keynes compared with January 2021.
Labour Councillor Lauren Townsend is the Cabinet Member responsible for community safety: “The Conservatives aren’t telling us the truth about police numbers in Milton Keynes. They can’t even agree themselves if there are 61 or 92 more officers on our streets. The reality is, they are both misleading the public.”
“We know there are not enough police in Milton Keynes. The 183 additional police officers promised by our local Tory MP Ben Everitt at the last election are actually for the entire Thames Valley, all the while our city is in desperate need of more officers on the streets here in Milton Keynes so that we can tackle knife crime properly.”
Liberal Democrat Councillor Robin Bradburn added: “The Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner has spent months beating around the bush when it comes to police numbers, but the public can see the reality on the ground.”
“There simply aren’t enough officers on our streets and Mr Barber has lost control of knife crime in Milton Keynes. Yet, he chooses to prioritise rural crime and traveller encampments. He obviously favours PR over policing to hide the fact he’s simply not up to the job.”
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