Why it matters: The move aims to restore public confidence in policing, which has declined in recent years as neighbourhood officers have been pulled off the beat to cover shortages elsewhere.
The big picture: The government is investing £100 million in what it calls the "Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee," focusing on:
Putting visible officers back on local streets
Making police more responsive to community issues
Tackling anti-social behaviour
Creating safer town centres
By the numbers:
13,000 additional neighbourhood policing officers, PCSOs and special constables to be added
£100 million in new funding
The proportion of people seeing regular police foot patrols has halved since 2010
The number of Police Community Support Officers has dropped by 50% since 2010
What they're saying: "The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will deliver 13,000 extra neighbourhood police, visible on your streets, cracking down on anti-social behaviour. A named, contactable officer in every community," Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper added: "This marks a return to the founding principles of British policing - where officers are part of the communities they serve."
Key changes:
Every neighbourhood will have a named, contactable officer
Residents and businesses can help shape local policing priorities
Each police force will have a dedicated anti-social behaviour lead
Officers will be protected from being deployed to other duties
New career pathway for neighbourhood policing
Bottom line: While £100 million has been committed to this nationwide policing overhaul, the true measure of success will be whether Ipswich residents see more officers on their streets and feel safer in their communities.
