My Lib Dem colleague, Paul Kennedy, who is running to be Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner in the election, is calling for a return to proper community policing, as half of all people say they never see police patrols in their local area.

New analysis by the Lib Dems reveals that 32,229 crimes reported to Surrey Police last year were closed without a suspect being identified – including 4419 burglaries, 1162 car thefts and 183 robberies.  Our analysis shows that 85% of all burglary cases and 42% of robberies in Surrey are closed without a suspect being identified.

Everyone in Surrey should be able to feel safe in their homes and walking down our streets.  But Conservative policies – whether imposed by Government or our Police and Crime Commissioner – are leaving our communities vulnerable and letting criminals get away with it.

Surrey Police need the officers, resources and time to focus on preventing and solving crimes.  Instead, Ministers want to waste police time chasing centralised Whitehall targets and carrying out pointless, suspicionless Stop and Search.

That is why the Lib Dems and I am calling for a return to proper community policing, where officers are visible, trusted and known personally to local people.  We will do what works to build communities where people are safe and feel safe too.