Every government should make protecting the public a top priority.
That means backing the law-abiding majority, catching criminals and making sure crime has consequences.
But right now, 92% of reported crimes go unsolved. Too often, victims hand the police clear evidence, including a suspect caught on camera, the live location of a stolen phone or their property being advertised online, and still nothing happens.
At the same time, too much police time is spent policing tweets and speech instead of investigating theft, burglary and other crimes that damage people’s lives.
That has to change.
The Conservatives will return powers to the Home Secretary so an elected minister, accountable to Parliament and the public, can set clear operational standards for every police force.
We will require police to follow the evidence in front of them:
If a stolen phone, car or other item reveals its location, officers must follow it up and knock on the door.
If a suspect is caught on CCTV, a doorbell camera or a mobile phone, police must run the image through facial recognition.
If stolen goods are advertised for sale online, police must investigate the listing, recover the property and identify the criminal.
This is basic detective work. It is what victims expect and what the public deserve.
These reforms will be backed by our fully funded plan for 10,000 extra police officers, giving forces the capacity to investigate crime properly and protect their communities.
The Conservatives are on the side of people who work hard, follow the rules and expect the law to be enforced.
We will get police back to catching criminals, Take Back Our Streets and get Britain working again.
