Prime Minister cops flack over misleading claims about police numbers in Deeside

Over-inflated claims by the Prime Minister around recruiting extra police officers have created confusion, say two North Wales politicians.

Alyn and Deeside MS Jack Sargeant and North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones want to set out the facts around Boris Johnson’s misleading promise of significantly more officers for Deeside.

During last year’s election Mr Johnson came to Deeside and pledged an additional 62 officers for the area, which Mr Jones said has been “a gross exaggeration of the truth.”

In reality this year there have been seven new officers in north east Wales which includes Shotton, Connah’s Quay, Buckley, Rhyl, Prestatyn, Flint and Wrexham.

Mr Sargeant and Mr Jones both welcomed the extra seven officers for the whole of north east Wales but wanted to make sure the public were aware that Deeside will not be getting 62 officers.

The MS said “This is incredibly disappointing because these exorbitant claims have created real confusion. The Prime Minister came to this community and made a promise, that should mean something.

“I wrote to the Home Secretary some time ago seeking an explanation for this and am I’m not surprised she didn’t want to respond.  I will continue to fight for the police resources our community deserves. I reiterate my calls for politicians of all stripes to join my campaign and back our residents and our police force.”

Mr Jones, a former police inspector, also blamed the confusion on the Prime Minister.

He said: “This is yet another example of the Prime Minister’s cavalier attitude towards the truth. It should come as no surprise to anyone that the Boris Johnson has made yet another misleading statement and it has now reached a point where everyone should take everything he says with a large pinch of salt.

“This is not the first time Mr Johnson has made a promise he has failed to keep and sadly this will not be the last time.

“As part of Operation Uplift. we expect to see an additional 207 officers and up to now only 62 have been recruited for the first year with the remainder over the next two years.  Seven of those have been assigned to Eastern Division which covers Flintshire and Wrexham.

“The other 90 officers recruited in the last 12 months is business as usual.

 “Unfortunately, you can always rely on the Prime Minister to let you down.”