Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledges more officers but no new police stations
Boris Johnson has ruled out providing more funding for new police stations, claiming many of them had failed to give value for money.
The Prime Minister has announced plans to increase police officer numbers by 20,000 in a bid to cut the country's soaring crime rate.
But speaking on a visit to the Tally Ho police training centre in Birmingham, he would not be drawn on how many extra officers there would be for West Midlands Police, saying only that the force would get its "fair share".
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And despite the region seeing more than 50 police bases closing in recent years, he was dismissive of calls for new stations.
Mr Johnson was greeted by anti-Brexit protesters shouting "We demand a People's Vote" as he arrived at the centre, where he met with WMP Chief Constable Dave Thompson and other officers and new recruits.
WATCH: Boris Johnson greeted by protesters as he arrives in Birmingham
In an interview he described increasing police numbers as "the best and most fundamental investment you can make in society", saying it was "crucial" to have safe streets for public safety and the good of Britain's economy.
He went on: "I'm less convinced about the value of putting money just into bricks and mortar. I had long experience of police stations that didn't always justify the spend.
"I would rather put money into the salaries and the pensions of good frontline officers, men and women, out there on the streets, and there are ways of doing that without investing huge amounts in buildings that are sometimes not as well used as they might be.
"Culture has changed now. It's no longer a case that when you have a crime everybody just goes to a police station to report it.
"People expect the police to come to them. That's the way it should be. The police will attend you as a victim of crime. That's the way I want to see it."
In his first public appearance outside Westminster, Mr Johnson insisted urban forces would receive "a big proportion" of the new officers.
He said: "Clearly you put the money where the issues mainly need to be addressed, and a big proportion of that is going to be in urban areas, notably the West Midlands."
He added: "But rural areas do also face problems, and the frustrations of people who don't feel that officers attend fast enough and that there crimes aren't taken seriously."
The Prime Minister's pledge over officer numbers has been welcomed by West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) David Jamieson, who has seen his force lose more than 2,000 officers since 2010.
The force currently has 6,599 officers, but Mr Jamieson wants to see the figure back up to its level of nine years ago.
He also called on Mr Johnson to prioritise high crime areas such as the West Midlands, which has seen knife crime spiral out of control in recent years, hitting a record high in the 12 months to March 2019.
He said: “I welcome the news that the Prime Minister is rolling back the clock and returning police officer levels to those last seen in 2009," the Labour PCC said.
“West Midlands Police has spent the best part of a decade trying to manage cuts so this announcement is welcome.
“However, I and the people of the West Midlands are extremely anxious that the government should prioritise large urban areas, where crime is highest, and ensures the new officers don’t end up in more leafy parts of the country.
“In this region we have lost 2,000 officers since 2010 and a quarter of our budget. It has led to rising levels of crime which I and the public find unacceptable.”
Mr Johnson's pledge was welcomed by the College of Policing, although it warned of "logistical challenges" to achieving the goal, following the closure of police stations across the country and concerns over a lack of training instructors.
Chief executive Mike Cunningham said the proposal was a "huge opportunity" to get a workforce up to scratch on modern policing and one that is more diverse.
Mr Johnson was accompanied on his visit by newly appointed Home Secretary Priti Patel.
