Statement from PCC on government's Crime and Policing Bill

I very much welcome the flagship Crime and Policing Bill that the government has published today.

This Bill will give Bedfordshire Police new and stronger powers to tackle crimes that matter most to the people of Bedfordshire.

In particular, the Bill will target the most serious crimes of all, with strong new action to tackle knife crime, stalking, spiking, criminal and sexual exploitation of children and terrorist threats.

The Bill, which lies at the heart of the government’s Safer Streets Mission and Plan for Change very much reflects my own police and crime plan for Bedfordshire.

It will enable us to tackle town centre and street crime and persistent anti-social behaviour more effectively, particularly as we expand our community policing teams.

The powers in the Bill together with the new money from the government under the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee and my police and crime plan will make the streets of Bedfordshire safer.

I am very pleased that this Bill will toughen enforcement activity against perpetrators of child sexual exploitation and violence against women and children and offer better protection for victims.

The Bill will treat violence against women and children as the national emergency it truly is, ensuring tougher enforcement action against perpetrators and better protection for victims. It will strengthen Stalking Protection Orders, introduce a new criminal offence covering spiking and bar registered sex offenders from changing their name where they continue to pose a threat.

As the Police and Crime Commissioner I look forward working with the Chief Constable to implement the Bill as it becomes an Act.