Yvette Cooper: Now is not the time to cut and weaken the police
From Blackberry messenger to moral malaise; pundits, politicians and public alike are still wrestling to explain those awful August nights. The Home Secretary was right to say yesterday more analysis is needed on the riots' causes, but there are some early lessons she should draw, and policies she must change before it is too late.
When lawbreakers got the upper hand, even for a short time, disorder escalated because people believed the law would not be enforced. Criminals must be seen to be caught and punished. Better, however, for the police to be able to maintain control from the start.
That means recognising police numbers matter, especially when social media means criminals can gather so fast. One officer told me he had never in twenty years seen a crowd appear so suddenly. Public order training is important, but we need enough officers too. If the Home Office doesn't reverse some cuts, other areas of crime will start to reflect the strain - especially in Olympic year.
Secondly the police need the powers to do the job. Ministers are still pushing plans to restrict DNA use and curtail CCTV despite their importance in identifying looters and end ASBOs despite their value tackling gangs. The Prime Minister should do another rapid u-turn on these plans that will make it easier for criminals and harder for the police. Far from moving to the right, David Cameron is just getting it wrong. For all the tough rhetoric, the policy reality is weak.
Thirdly we need genuine prevention work. Ministers are right to talk about tackling gang culture, worklessness, rehabilitation, and supporting parenting. But they are undermining programmes that work, as gang interventions, probation, family projects and Sure Start are hit by the scale of cuts. Youth unemployment is rising, and unlike Labour's Future Jobs Fund, the government's Work Programme includes no requirement on young people to actually work. That's not good enough.
Fourthly the Government needs to reconsider some of its rhetoric. Claiming the looters and rioters are a "class," variously prefixed with "feral," "under," or just plain "criminal," suggests a breadth and level of determinism which unfairly discredits the neighbours who are furious about the riots, or the sister who has made it to college. Nor should David Cameron dismiss the riots as the consequence of moral malaise or a broken society as it ignores the strong morality of millions of law abiding people and sounds like a form of surrender. Saying society has failed, whilst arguing that government has little business or effectiveness in changing society, provides the perfect excuse for failing to prevent crime and disorder in future.
Yet when everyone pulls together, it is possible to cut crime, raise aspirations and strengthen society. Crime fell by 40 per cent in Labour's 13 years, helped by thousands more police, new powers and strong partnerships on prevention. The Street Crime Initiative to tackle growing criminality on the streets ten years ago saw robberies fall by 25 per cent within a year.
The Government needs to take similar concerted action now. On budgets and legislation they must think again. And they should roll up their sleeves and work tirelessly with police, councils and communities to build a new strategy to get crime coming down. Enough of the angst. We need action instead.
