The Medway Conservative Group has supported cuts of 454 officers and 83 PCSOs whilst public order offences have risen by 129%. Violence is up 39% and possession of weapons is up 61%.

Crime in Medway has risen significantly and in the last year alone we have seen crime jump by a third. It is clear that our streets are becoming less safe for residents to work and socialise in due in part to the new challenges of County Drug Lines, gang crime and associated social crimes of burglary and violence.

This has been exacerbated by a Conservative-led Council that has mismanaged CCTV, with many cameras out of action in city centre areas at a time when residents are under increasing threat. The Medway Conservatives admitted to this failure in November 2018 but no one took responsibility and resigned.

Supporting the Police:

• Continuing to invest in our uniformed Enforcement Team and tighten and increase prosecutions or penalties against those who engage in antisocial parking and fly-tipping which has blighted many communities
• Committing to work with an independently chaired Medway Safety Partnership and Kent Police to ensure adequate policing resources are available across our crime hotspots

Using technology to fight crime:

• Launching an immediate review into CCTV across Medway and investing more in a programme of replacing cameras that are not working. We will robustly monitor the CCTV service to protect everyone
• Replacing street lights with new LED lights which brighten our streets, improve safety, reduce electricity costs and help to prevent antisocial behaviour. We will not pursue the Conservative approach – seen in neighbouring authorities – of switching off street lights during night hours
• Refocusing the use of automatic number recognition cameras to fight crime

Protecting our community:

• Improving road safety and working with police to enforce speed restrictions including introducing 20mph zones around the Towns where needed
• Pooling budgets to create a Community Safety Fund to support Neighbourhood Watch schemes, Speed Watch and community groups – this fund will help to promote good citizenship and support those in our community who feel they can assist in crime prevention and keep an eye out for their neighbours
• Commissioning a Medway Council Task Group to report on the increasing prevalence of gang crime and how we can better support, understand and embed strategies to reduce crime
• Introducing incentives for all uniformed Kent Special Constables living in Medway to encourage recruitment
• Enforcing a policy of Challenge 25 on purchases of corrosive substances, in response to the increased number of acid attacks in recent years
• Keeping local policing at the heart of our community, and continue to work with the police to crack down on crime in our town centres and oppose the Conservative Goverment’s cuts