'Focus on safety is being backed by investment'

BEFORE I was elected to Parliament, I served as the cabinet member for community safety on Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

- David Williams - MP for Stoke-on-Trent North

One of the issues I heard about time and again was policing.

People wanted to see neighbourhood officers back on the beat, more visibility in our communities, and regular patrols in our town centres.

I knew how much that mattered to residents’ confidence and peace of mind.

That’s why, during my time on the council, I worked hard to get planes and drones in the sky over North Staffordshire to help crack down on off-road bikers.

Those riders have caused real misery for families and communities, and I wanted Staffordshire Police to have every tool they needed to tackle it.

Since becoming an MP, I've continued that work, meeting regularly with senior police officers to relay people’s concerns and push for visible results.

Staffordshire Police have been taking serious steps to target antisocial behaviour and restore confidence in local policing.

I’ve joined patrols myself, both on foot and by car, to see firsthand how officers are responding to community priorities.