Ever since the Governments austerity measures were implemented after the financial crash of 2007-08, Manchester has seen a reduction in police budgets. This has led to, rather unsurprisingly, a decrease in the number of officers protecting Mancunians from crime.
Greater Manchester’s deputy mayor for policing and crime Bev Hughes stated that “GMP has lost £250m, 2,000 officers, and 1,000 staff since 2010, and we are now facing an eighth year of real term cuts. As demand rises and crimes become increasingly complex, our police and criminal justice system is creaking.”
Although GMP’s funding is set to increase by £10.6m this year following a rise in the policing element of council tax bills, many are unconvinced that this will make up for the shortfall in numbers and increasing levels of crime.
Despite the fact that GMP have come forward to say that less police equals more crime, the government appear to be doing their best to imply that these increases are the result of things like social media and ‘gangsta’ rap. If that excuse wasn’t rolled out every time crime rates rise, people may actually believe this is the case.
The problem lies in the fact that people can see the reduction of police numbers and can see the rise of crime. These are tangible effects whereas blaming social media et al isn’t. Blaming external forces like that requires evidence to back up your claim, of which they have none.
Let’s Look at the Figures
From an overall perspective, total reported crimes in Manchester have increased year on year since 2012. In 2011 the figures were similar to those seen in 2015 before a huge drop going into 2012. Since 2012, the number of police officers has fallen by 23%, far more than the national average. Support staff have also dropped by 18% during the same time. Compare that to an increase of 25% in reported crimes in the same time period and it doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together.
In the last year alone, Manchester has seen a 61% increase in violent crime (161% if you go way back to 2009). But ministers say tackling violent crime is not just about police budgets, insisting it is not a problem you can ‘arrest your way out of’. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said it was a ‘mistake’ to blame police numbers alone for the rise, insisting that some police forces who have undertaken the largest reductions in officer numbers have not seen the sharpest rises in crime.
What Can be Done?
That’s a tricky question. Whilst dwindling police numbers (and the medias obsession with telling the world about them) has no doubt emboldened criminals to the point of being brazen with their crimes, there are other aspects too. Depleted funds into social outreach programs, youth clubs and other social mechanisms that keep kids off the street and provide help to those in need has no doubt left people vulnerable to criminal gang recruitment.
Better education and a feeling of positivity about our country would also help. The media enjoys portraying Brits as broke with low wages and growing troubles. When stuff like this is presented to people, what hope is there? Why take the hard way and be poor when you can take the easy way and get rich quick?
Manchester, as with the rest of the country, has a lot of work to do to restore public faith in our policing. Not because of incompetence, but their ability to protect us on such a small budget. Whilst money isn’t the only way to fix the problem, it pretty much underpins every option we have.
