ACCORDING to Liberal Democrat analysis, total government funding to all 43 forces (in 2019-20 prices) fell from £8.48 billion in 2015-16 to £7.99 billion in 2019-20.
Thirty two of the forty three forces across the country experienced cuts of 6% or more. In Sussex that represents a cut from nearly £180 million to less than £169 million.
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson and leadership candidate, Ed Davey said: “Across the country, we are seeing rising crime and falling police. Far too many people now feel unsafe walking down their own streets.
“Taking 5,000 police off our streets in the last four years and cutting funding in real-terms by £490 million from 2015-16 to 2019-20 are big Tory crimes.”
Local Liberal Democrat spokesperson and Parliamentary Candidate for Hove and Portslade, Beatrice Bass added: “Inflicting over 6% cuts on our local police force over the last four years when our city is facing serious knife crime issues, shows just how out of touch the Tories are.”
“The Liberal Democrats demand better. We will give police forces the resources they need to recruit more officers and restore community policing, so that we can make our streets safer and make people feel safer too.”