The loss of over 600 police officers in the East Midlands is shocking - Cooper

Over 600 police officers in the East Midlands have been axed since the general election, according to figures released today.

The figures show that the East Midlands now has 603 fewer police officers patrolling our streets. The worst affected areas are Derbyshire with 154 fewer officers, Nottinghamshire with 195 fewer officers and Leicestershire which has seen officer number slashed by 141.

Yvette Cooper MP, Labour's Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on police numbers, said:

“It is shocking that in the East Midlands we have lost over 600 police officers since the general election.

"The scale of the Tory-led Government's cuts has led to the biggest fall in national police numbers in over a decade at the same time as we are seeing the biggest increase in personal crime.

“David Cameron and Theresa May are letting down communities and turning their backs on the police. They should be battling to cut crime, but they are just cutting the police instead.

“Police numbers have fallen to the lowest for a decade, with 8,000 fewer officers since the election and 6,000 since last year alone. At the same time personal crime including theft and violence has gone up by 11 per cent -- the biggest increase in a decade.

“The Home Secretary's 20 per cent cuts go much further than the 12 per cent recommended by the independent inspectorate and supported by Labour.

“The Prime Minister's decision to cut policing too far and too fast when many crimes are increasing is putting communities at risk. MPs of all parties should vote against the scale of Government’s cuts to their local police force in Parliament on February 8.”

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