APCC response to National Audit Office report ‘Tackling serious and organised crime’
Responding to the National Audit Office report ‘Tackling serious and organised crime’, APCC Serious Organised Crime Leads Marc Jones PCC and Deputy Mayor Bev Hughes said:
“The National Audit Offices report shines a light on many of the key challenges law enforcement face in tackling the increasing threat of Serious Organised Crime (SOC), while providing some useful recommendations.
“Police and Crime Commissioners have prioritised funding to a collaborative regional response investing £123 million in our Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs) with a further estimated £1.8 billion nationally on our local force response. While supporting the role of the National Crime Agency, there is an urgent requirement for a joined up whole system response, recognising our local commitments, and this must be factored into the forthcoming spending review.
“SOC is a blight on all our communities, whether it be the direct impact felt by the disturbing increase of serious violence in our inner-city estates, or the hidden impact of the significant cost to our national economy. PCCs support a robust law enforcement approach to criminals making financial gain at the misery of others, however we have long advocated, as with serious violence, that prevention is at the heart of long-term solutions.
“To this end we want to see support for this approach across Government and adequate funding to tackle serious and organised crime.”