Campaigning for a Safer Selly Oak

4.21.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 29th Apr 2010

"Liberal Democrats will focus on what works to cut crime," said Cllr Dave Radcliffe. "This is why we want to pay for 3,000 more policemen on the beat."

Councillor Dave Radcliffe is campaigning for a safer Selly Oak. Earlier today he and ex-policeman Brian Paddick, the Liberal Democrats' London Mayoral candidate in 2008, were meeting residents to discuss issues and concerns.

As a local councillor, Dave Radcliffe has been supportive of the neighbourhood policing programme, which has made it easier for local residents to meet their local policeman and identify local priorities. He has also supported crime prevention - helping to find investment for communal gates and making residents more aware of what they can do to protect themselves.

Liberal Democrats are committed to focusing on what works to cut crime. We will support more positive activities for young people to stop them getting involved in a life of crime. Labour and the Conservatives posture on penalties, which do not deter criminals. What does deter them is increasing the chances of being caught. That is why more police are needed on the streets - to provide a longer arm for the law. And we need to help the police to be more effective at catching criminals, spend less time on bureaucracy and more time preventing crime, reassuring the public and helping keep everyone safe.

Liberal Democrats will:

• Pay for 3,000 more police on the beat, affordable because we are cutting other spending, such as scrapping pointless ID cards.

• Reduce time-wasting bureaucracy at police stations with better technology that can be deployed on the streets.

• Give local people a real say over their police force through the direct election of police authorities. Authorities would still be able to co-opt extra members to ensure diversity, experience and expertise.