Swindon Labour has published figures it says show an 87 percent increase in knife crime across the South West since 2015.
Robbery, says Labour, is up 67 percent over the same period, and the party also says the number of PCSOs on local streets has been slashed by 35 percent.
Swindon Labour group Leader Cllr Jim Robbins said: “Tackling knife crime is one of Swindon Labour’s five pledges for if we take control of the council in May. We are already arranging meetings with members of the community to hear their thoughts and ideas.
"We plan to be a listening council that protects our community by working with it to solve the problems that impact their lives.”
Borough councillor and North Swindon Parliamentary Candidate Will Stone and South Swindon counterpart Heidi Alexander said in a joint statement: “Under the Conservatives neighbourhood policing has disappeared – so it’s no surprise that knife crime and burglary are on the rise.
“But Labour has a plan. Making Britain’s Streets Safe will be a central mission of the next Labour government. Labour will prevent crime with a fully funded plan to put 13,000 extra neighbourhood police back on the streets in places like Swindon, punish anti-social behaviour with tougher sentences, and protect communities by standing up for victims.”
The party has pledged to bring back neighbourhood policing by putting 13,000 more neighbourhood police on Britain’s streets, including recruiting at least 10,000 more officers, PCSOs and specials.
Labour says its plans are the equivalent of giving every constituency in England and Wales 15 to 20 extra neighbourhood police.
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