Home Secretary Priti Patel has praised Dehenna Davison MP for campaigning for a Police Covenant to ensure officers across the North East are recognised for the risks they take to keep the public safe.
The MP for Bishop Auckland chaired a meeting with Conservative MPs and Ms Patel at a police event in Westminster on Wednesday, where they discussed Government plans to introduce the Covenant and its promise to recruit more officers on the streets from next month (APR).
Davison is part of Blue Collar Conservatism (BCC), a group which campaigned for the Covenant and increase in police numbers – two measures Government adopted.
Dehenna said: “It was great to meet with the Home Secretary this week and chair a discussion with her and fellow Conservative MPs. I was reassured to hear her speak about her commitment to delivering not only more police officers but also more resources and protections for our police.”
Speaking at the event the Home Secretary said BCC was crucial to the recent General Election victory and praised the group for pushing an agenda that ensures working-class people are at the forefront of what Government does.
Ms Patel added: "MPs have been hearing from our hard-working constituents about their concerns on crime for a long time. That’s why last year I promised, alongside the Prime Minister, that our party would take its rightful place as the Party of Law and Order in Britain once again.
“Every day as Home Secretary I am working on sending a clear message to criminals that they will be properly punished, so that the law-abiding majority, voters across the country and especially in blue-collar seats can live their lives free from the fear of crime.”
An eight-week consultation into what should be included in the Covenant is underway. BCC would like the Covenant to include tougher sentences for people who assault an officer, protecting the mental health of serving and retired officers, equipping them with the right resources and powers to do the job and legal support for the tough on the spot decisions they have to make to protect the public.
The group also lobbied for more officers and Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised an additional 20,000 officers across England and Wales within the next three years. The first recruitment tranche will see 68 officers recruited in Durham in 2020/21.
For more information visit www.bluecollarconservatism.co.uk
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https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/police-covenant-for-england…