MAJOR CRIME SURVEY LAUNCHED

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 25th Jan 2005

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Leeds North West, Cllr Greg Mulholland has launched a major crime survey surveying every household in the constituency.

The survey will ask residents to highlight their concerns about crime and pinpoint any specific problems they feel are not being dealt with. It will also ask about the level of policing in their area to see if people think this is adequate.

Says Cllr Mulholland, "Crime is always one of the issues that people mention to us on the doorstep and we are giving people the opportunity to give us their thoughts on this crucial issue."

The Liberal Democrats believe that more resources should be directed to where it is needed most - at frontline police services - including 10,000 police deployed on the beat nationally. Here in Leeds, Leeds City Council and Area Committees have also already invested money in many more Police Community Support Officers to patrol the streets.

As Greg Mulholland explains, "The Liberal Democrats believe in Community Policing and we find without fail we find that people are less afraid of crime when they can see Police locally. Although people in different areas of Leeds North West have different fears and issues, a bigger and more visible police presence on the streets always seems to be most people?s first request."

As a Councillor, Cllr Mulholland has already been involved in decisions concerning the deployment of extra PCSOs in parts of Leeds North West and has worked with the police and the Antisocial behaviour team to combat antisocial behaviour in a number of areas.

Cllr Mulholland concludes, "I would urge as many people as possible to complete the survey and tell us their concerns. This way we get a much better picture of the reality of the problems in the area and we will then push for solutions so that all residents feel safer and more secure in their communities."