The SNP MP for the East End, John Mason, has welcomed the latest figures on police officer numbers, which show that the Strathclyde force has enjoyed a surge in police numbers over the past 12 months.

The new official statistics show that the number of officers working in the Strathclyde Police area has gone up from 7,619 in the quarter ending in March ’08 to 8,204 for the three months to March ‘09 – an increase of 585 officers.

Mr Mason, who represents all of the communities between Barrowfield and Baillieston and from Carmyle to Craigend, said:

“People in all of the communities that I represent will be delighted to hear that Strathclyde Police now has 585 more policemen and women on the streets than it did one year ago.

“Everyone knows that there are serious problems with crime and disorder in a number of the communities of the East End. But a visible police presence is important in terms of reducing crime and providing reassurance to the public.

“Crime is still a big problem, but independent statistics for the Baillieston, Shettleston & Greater Easterhouse area show that recorded crime has fallen by nearly 3000 offences between 2006 and 2008,.with especially welcome improvements in the categories of housebreaking, petty assault, vandalism/fire-raising and offensive weapons.

The East End MP went on to hit out at local Labour representatives, saying:

“Despite the fact that local Labour politicians claim to be ‘talking up’ the East End, most of them are slow to give credit to local police successes. Also, you rarely hear Labour MSPs welcoming the surge in police numbers.”