Improving Community Safety

Part of Questions to the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip – in the Senedd at 2:38 pm on 19 February 2019.

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Photo of Joyce Watson Joyce Watson Labour 2:38, 19 February 2019

I thank you for that response. But one way of making sure that community safety in Wales works is the funding by the Welsh Assembly of the 500 community support officers across Wales, to help with that improvement. However, I'm sure, like me, that you are concerned about the Police Federation of England and Wales survey that showed that 90 per cent of police officers believe their force is understaffed, and that, since 2010, there's been a decrease of 21,000, in real terms, of officers across England and Wales, as a direct result of funding cuts. And due to those staff shortages, officers are now reporting having to go out on their own, and that, clearly, isn't a safe place for them, and it isn't an ideal situation for them to keep their communities safe. So, Deputy Minister, what discussions have you had with the UK Government regarding the drop in police numbers and how it's going to be resolved, to ensure that the health and safety of both police officers, but also the general public, is maintained?