Police officers will be given new powers according to the new Crime and Policing Bill
SHARE:
The new bill includes measures to prevent minor crimes like phone theft, shoplifting, and anti-social behaviour, as well as stronger actions against more serious offences such as knife crime, violence against women, and child sexual abuse.
It is a key part of the government’s ‘Safer Streets’ mission, with ministers hoping to have it become law by the end of the year.
Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has stated that ultimately. the bill’s goal is to restore “respect for law and order on our streets”.
Under the bill, police will have the authority to enter and search properties without a court warrant to recover stolen devices that can be electronically tracked, such as phones, laptops, or Bluetooth-tagged bikes.
Today it was announced that this bill would grant the police new powers to tackle phone theft, with 50,000 phones being stolen last year in the capital alone.
This will enable the police to act more swiftly, retrieving stolen items before they are sent somewhere else or the tracking tags are removed.
Some concerns have been raised that introducing new criminal offences could put additional pressure on the police.
Several police forces have warned that, despite receiving extra funding, they may have to reduce officer numbers this year.
In response, the Home Office has stated that the bill’s goals will be achieved by recruiting 13,000 more neighbourhood officers by 2029, with £200 million allocated to support this effort.
Another concern is the added stress this bill could place on prisons and the court system. The Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, also warned in December that prisons are at risk of running out of space.
While Yvette Cooper has emphasized that the new criminal offences are meant to act as preventative measures and new prisons are currently being built, there is a concern that they could lead to more people being imprisoned.
Submitted Article
Headline
Short Headline
Standfirst
Published Article
HeadlinePolice may be given new powers to prevent minor crimes
Short HeadlinePolice may get new powers to prevent crimes
StandfirstPolice might be allowed to enter houses without a warrant, according to the Crime and Policing Bill, which enters Parliament today.
The new bill includes measures to prevent minor crimes like phone theft, shoplifting, and anti-social behaviour, as well as stronger actions against more serious offences such as knife crime, violence against women, and child sexual abuse.
It is a key part of the government’s ‘Safer Streets’ mission, with ministers hoping to have it become law by the end of the year.
Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has stated that ultimately. the bill’s goal is to restore “respect for law and order on our streets”.
Under the bill, police will have the authority to enter and search properties without a court warrant to recover stolen devices that can be electronically tracked, such as phones, laptops, or Bluetooth-tagged bikes.
Today it was announced that this bill would grant the police new powers to tackle phone theft, with 50,000 phones being stolen last year in the capital alone.
This will enable the police to act more swiftly, retrieving stolen items before they are sent somewhere else or the tracking tags are removed.
Some concerns have been raised that introducing new criminal offences could put additional pressure on the police.
Several police forces have warned that, despite receiving extra funding, they may have to reduce officer numbers this year.
In response, the Home Office has stated that the bill’s goals will be achieved by recruiting 13,000 more neighbourhood officers by 2029, with £200 million allocated to support this effort.
Another concern is the added stress this bill could place on prisons and the court system. The Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, also warned in December that prisons are at risk of running out of space.
While Yvette Cooper has emphasized that the new criminal offences are meant to act as preventative measures and new prisons are currently being built, there is a concern that they could lead to more people being imprisoned.
