The UK Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson, had her purse stolen from a hotel on Tuesday while she was speaking at the annual conference of the Police Superintendents’ Association. A member of Home Office staff also had their belongings taken. Warwickshire Police said a 56-year-old man from Coventry had been arrested on suspicion of burglary in connection with the thefts and had been released on bail. The Home Office stated there appeared to have been no security risk.
Dame Diana used her speech at the conference to attack the Conservatives’ handling of policing and set out the government’s plans to increase neighbourhood policing. She referred to an epidemic of anti-social behaviour, shoplifting and theft that was “corroding our communities” and said the Labour Party was committed to restoring respect for the rule of law and for the police which, she argued, had been undermined over several years.
Dame Diana also announced that the government had agreed initial funding to support a new specialist training programme for neighbourhood officers. President of the PSA Nick Smart told the conference that the police had been caught up in a storm due to the premature release of hundreds of prisoners, who had been left without proper plans in place for their rehabilitation, leaving the police to deal with the consequences.
According to Warwickshire Police, a burglary had been reported at the Kenilworth hotel hosting the conference. The thefts were alleged to have occurred between 11.00am and 13.15 on Tuesday. Enquiries into the incident were ongoing as of Wednesday, with police stating that the suspect had been arrested and bailed while investigations continued.
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