The latest Crime Survey for England shows crime in the year to June 2014 is 25% lower than in the year to June 2010. The new statistics show that since June 2010, crime has fallen by more than a fifth, according to the independent Crime Survey for England and Wales. This year there were more than 2.3 million fewer crimes than the year before this Government came to power.
We have been following an action plan to tackle crime and make Britain a safer place to live, work and raise a family. Thanks to our plan, and the hard work of police officers, crime is falling. Families are safer and more secure, and communities can enjoy a better, brighter future.
Our action plan involves freeing the police to fight crime by cutting red tape and scrapping unnecessary targets, giving criminals tougher sentences so communities are protected and justice is done, giving the police the new powers they need to tackle criminals, stopping people from becoming criminals by tackling the root causes of crime, and making the police answer to the community to help drive down crime in your area.
We have cut red tape, so the police can cut crime and we have safer communities. We have given police just one target: cut crime. The police are now free to use their discretion and professional judgement to best protect our communities. Our changes save an estimated 4.5 million hours of police time, equivalent to 2,100 police officer posts. Our changes mean police can do more with less and carry on cutting crime.
We have put local communities in charge of local policing. Police can do what is right for their area. Locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners are responsible for writing local police plans, setting the police budget, and hiring and firing chief constables. The new National Crime Agency is protecting us from organised crime gangs, child abusers, drug smugglers, slave drivers and cyber criminals. We have brought together 4,000 officers to lead the fight against organised criminals at home and abroad.
We have changed how police are hired and paid, so we can attract the best people to join the police and protect our communities. People from outside the police can now join at management ranks and bring fresh ideas and approaches. Skills and expertise are rewarded appropriately. The new College of Policing is improving police standards so they can fight crime better. The College makes sure policing is based on the evidence of what works, that officers receive the best training and understand and comply with the highest ethical standards.
We have given police new powers to stop anti-social behaviour so people are safer in their communities. We have also given the public a community trigger to demand that anti-social behaviour is dealt with.
We are giving the public more information about the police and maintaining police integrity. Crime maps mean people can see how much crime takes places where they live, how much is detected, and what happens to the perpetrator. These help people hold their local police to account and make sure crime continues to be driven down.
We are strengthening the Independent Police Complaints Commission so people continue to have confidence in the police. We have given it new powers and more resources, brought in a new code of ethics for all police officers, and introduced a list of officers struck off for misconduct so they cannot return to policing.
The last Labour Government tied up the police in paperwork. Cases stayed unresolved and people felt unsafe on the street. Now Labour propose more red tape for the police that would distract them from fighting crime and protecting the public.