Rising tide of violence against our courageous officers

POLICE officers have been left ‘dangerously exposed’ and the streets ‘unsafe’ as a result of government cuts, MPs said yesterday.

Condemning the ‘sickening murder’ of PC Andrew Harper, MPs called on Home Secretary Priti Patel to ‘get a grip’ and bring an end to the ‘terrifying rise in violent crime’ on British streets.

They also called for tougher sentences for those who attack police officers, after shocking figures revealed how many were avoiding prison altogether.

Their comments came after PC Harper was dragged along the road by a vehicle after getting out of his car while he investigated a reported burglary on Thursday.

Independent MP John Woodcock said: ‘The whole country will feel sorry at the terrible death of PC Harper and fury at the way sick criminals felt able to target a police officer as he tried to serve the public.’

Last month it was reported that attacks on police officers in Scotland have hit record levels.

Figures show that violent assaults on frontline officers have more than doubled since the single force was established six years ago.

In the first year, 778 attacks were carried out on officers and staff across the country.

That figure had increased by more than 100 per cent – to 1,685 – in the past 12 months.

South of the Border, Labour MP Wes Streeting said: ‘This sickening murder of a police officer follows two attempted murders in as many weeks.

‘No family should have to go through what PC Harper’s family are going through. We can’t respond as though it is business as usual.

‘Single-crew deployments must end immediately, sentences should be strengthened to provide a tougher deterrent and we need to provide better protective equipment to police, including tasers for those trained to use them.

‘We have a responsibility to protect those who protect us.’

He added: ‘The cuts to police numbers have left police officers dangerously exposed and communities unsafe.’

Labour MP Toby Perkins, on the Home Affairs select committee, added: ‘The police are under-resourced. It puts them at risk and it puts our society more generally at risk.

‘The shortage of police means the Government are failing to keep the streets safe.’

Separate figures show that 16 thugs north of the Border who were spared jail went on to murder.

Those killings were part of 145 crimes committed by offenders who were freed early from jail or given community sentences, according to a report by the Care Inspectorate in November last year.

They also showed that in 201617, 10,104 were sentenced to prison terms of 12 months or less – including killers. The Scottish Government has announced plans to introduce a presumption against prison sentences of less than a year.

Critics at the time called for a full review of the entire scheme ‘as a matter of urgency’.