Police Numbers

Speech delivered on Thu 25th Oct 2007

The subject that the Tories have chosen for the debate is an interesting one. Police numbers almost always seem to appear in political manifestos. Indeed, all the major parties, apart from Labour-I could not find a figure in the Labour manifesto-put numbers on their proposals for extra police. That is not only a bit of a hostage to fortune, but begs the question of what it means to the voter. What do my constituents in Edinburgh South want from a police service? The answer is that they want to feel secure in their homes and in their local community. Nigel Don made a good point when he said that communities want to see police officers in the fabric of the community.

Since 1999, police numbers have risen from 14,810 to 16,261 across Scotland, which is an increase of 1,451. Does that lead me to believe that the people whom I represent feel more secure? All the evidence suggests that that is not the case. What are we, as politicians, to do about that? Time after time, my constituents tell me that they want the police to be more visible. The cabinet secretary referred to that in his speech. I agree. People want to be able to contact the police more easily, be given a response, and know what is happening as a result of their inquiry. In our manifesto, the Liberal Democrats proposed to have at least two additional police officers in every one of the new council wards. I believe that that will go some way to answer the needs of my constituents and to provide the extra visible presence that they want.

All too often, people tell me that they do not bother to phone the police any more to report a crime or their suspicions about a crime because they do not think that it is worth it. We have to improve the links between communities and their new community officers. The Liberal Democrat commitment for more officers on the ground in the new council wards is the right way forward. We have also proposed that the dedicated mobile phone number of the local community police officer should be circulated. For local communities to be able to contact their local policeman directly would help to achieve the aim of improving links between communities and the police.

Policing has moved on a great deal in the past two years. Chief constables are looking at new ways of policing and of making the best use of their policemen. In Edinburgh South, the police now have off-road motorbikes on which to chase delinquents on bikes who used to be able to escape up the glens and streams. Members may well ask whether there are glens and streams in Edinburgh South: the answer is yes. There was no lack of volunteers when police officers were asked to apply for that new service.

Edinburgh South was the first part of Edinburgh to have a youth action team dedicated to tackling youth crime and disturbance. That initiative has now been rolled out across the city. Last week, the work of that youth action team, led by Sergeant Bob Walker in association with other agencies, resulted in 350 litres of alcohol being confiscated in the Morningside, Bruntsfield and Meadows areas of Edinburgh South. That is the sort of policing that my voters want. I hope that some of those things can be taken up by the cabinet secretary and considered for other parts of Scotland.

I make one final plea, which has often been made before. I am delighted that Edinburgh is now represented by a minister, and I hope that the minister will listen this time. Would he please consider Edinburgh as a special case when it comes to extra funding? London gets extra funding because it is the capital of England-as I would say. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. It is our capital city, and it has special needs that the rest of Scotland does not have.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): Will the member take an intervention?

Mike Pringle: Go on, then-although I have only 15 seconds left.

Jackie Baillie: Does the member agree that, as so many SNP MSPs are taking up residence outside the gates of Faslane, additional funding for policing in Strathclyde would also be welcome?

Mike Pringle: I do not think that I need to answer that.

Edinburgh is our capital city, and it has special needs that the rest of Scotland does not. We need more police to maintain Edinburgh as an attractive, safe place for its citizens and visitors. I hope that the cabinet secretary will address that.

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