13.04.1995

‘Police efficiency’

This week the Audit Commission published details of ‘police efficiency’. At the same time government figures reported a six percent rise in violent crimes. Marcus Miller, Communist candidate for Moss Side in Manchester, responded:

“Labour and Tory are competing with each other to see who can increase police power the more. But we know this will not solve crime. The police serve capitalism and not the people. Their vicious attacks on our pickets, demonstrations and rave concerts prove that.

“That is why Communists say there should be no support for the police. Shutting up ever greater numbers in overcrowded prisons does no good at all. We must change the conditions which cause crime - poverty, alienation, unemployment and social fragmentation. To begin to do that workers must organise themselves into workers’ defence patrols.”