Police Forces Debate

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Department: Home Office

Police Forces

Heidi Alexander Excerpts
Tuesday 5th July 2011

(12 years, 10 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Heidi Alexander Portrait Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) (Lab)
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Thank you, Sir Alan. I will take one or two minutes. I came to the debate today to put on the record my concerns about the cuts to the safer neighbourhood teams in London. In my constituency, we are experiencing a halving of the number of safer neighbourhood team sergeants. My concern is that those individuals are very visible and very effective and will be sorely missed in the communities that they serve. A big row has broken out about police numbers, but safer neighbourhood team sergeants play an important role in reassuring the community and making the public feel safer, and a number of wards in my constituency will be left without sergeants dedicated to them. That is of huge concern to me, and I should like the Minister to respond to it.