Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce a major policing overhaul this Thursday, with a plan focused on tackling the surge in shoplifting and antisocial behaviour by putting “thousands of bobbies back on the beat”. The new initiative forms part of the Government’s wider neighbourhood policing guarantee, which aims to restore public trust in policing and improve safety in Britain’s town centres.
The announcement comes amid growing concern over the lack of visible police presence in communities, particularly in so-called “hotspot” areas during peak periods. As part of the plan, town centres and areas with high levels of crime are to receive guaranteed foot patrols during evenings and weekends, when offences typically spike.
Sir Keir will also set out proposals to assign named neighbourhood officers to every local area, ensuring more accountability and familiarity between communities and the police. The Government has pledged to recruit 13,000 additional officers by 2029 to fulfil these goals.
Speaking ahead of the launch, the Prime Minister said: “Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure on the streets they call home. It is just about the most basic right that anyone would expect. Yet for years, crimes such as shoplifting and antisocial behaviour have wreaked havoc on our neighbourhoods.
“Policing has become reactive, picking up the pieces after crimes have occurred. Britain deserves better. It should not matter where you live – everyone deserves local, visible policing they can trust. With our neighbourhood policing guarantee, we will end this postcode lottery, putting prevention back at the heart of policing and ensuring police are back on the streets.”
The measures include a commitment to guaranteed patrols in busy public areas on Friday and Saturday nights, when issues such as vandalism, alcohol-related incidents, and youth disorder are most prevalent. A dedicated lead on antisocial behaviour will also be introduced in every police force, tasked with developing action plans in collaboration with local residents and businesses.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper reinforced the Government’s commitment to reversing what she called years of decline in community policing. “The heartbeat of our great British policing tradition is seeing bobbies on the beat,” she said. “But for too long, too many communities have been feeling abandoned as crime soared and neighbourhood police disappeared, even when local crimes like shop theft, street theft or blatant drug dealing rose sharply.”
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Ms Cooper added: “Our plan for change and neighbourhood policing guarantee will tackle this postcode lottery and restore policing to our communities.”
However, the plan has already drawn criticism from the opposition benches. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused Labour of placing policing at risk due to wider economic policy. “Thanks to Labour’s jobs tax, our police services face a £118 million shortfall, putting over 1,800 police jobs at risk,” he claimed.
“What’s more, the Metropolitan Police are cutting 1,700 jobs and services, including moving officers out of schools, making our streets and schools less safe. The previous Conservative government delivered record police officers, but law and order is taking a back seat under Labour. They must urgently get a grip to ensure our police have the resources they need to cut crime and keep the British people safe.”
Despite the political crossfire, public pressure for action has grown, with many communities reporting increases in low-level but persistent crime. The Government hopes the new approach – placing prevention and presence at the core – will not only reduce crime but also rebuild public confidence in British policing. The true test will be whether the bobbies return to the beat not just in name, but in meaningful, lasting presence.
