Category Archives: Drugs

What drug-dealers deserve

Just after I made my announcement that I’d stand for mayor yesterday, I was straight off to Bordesley Green to go and see some of the results of a huge campaign against drugs and drug-dealing. This has been the the key local issue we’ve pressed the police for – and yesterday we saw just how aggressively our brilliant local police have taken action; seized assets from drug-dealers crushed in front of the public.

It was excellent too, that we had a host of pupils from Waverley School to look on. One of the reasons I’ve fought so hard for tougher action against drugs is that young people saw to me, that when they see drug-dealing going on it makes them feel scared – and fearful of just where they can go – and where they can’t. That’s not the kind of city we want to bring up our kids in.

Here’s a brilliant video of the day from the Birmingham Mail. Well done to the West Midlands Police – more please!

 

Our fight against drugs: Byrne briefs Birmingham’s police chief

One of the issues I promised to campaign on at the last election was for a tougher fight against drugs.

Today, I had the privilige of meeting our new Assistant Chief Constable Sharon Rowe at my Hodge Hill offices. I was able to thank ACC Rowe for the sterling work of our local neighbourhood police teams – and underline how vitally important we believe see the fight against drugs to be.

ACC Rowe has massive experience to bring to Birmingham from the Met in London. I’m glad we’ll have that experience on hand in our fight against the dealers trying to profit from poison.

 

Save our cops

Just back from meeting with our Chief Constable Chris Simms, together with Cllr Ian Ward, and MP’s Richard Burden and Khalid Mahmood.

I have to say we are very blessed here in the West Midlands in having a Chief Constable who is (a) excellent and (b) has a plan to keep the fight against crime as tough as its ever been.

But, be under no illusions, if the government hands down cuts of 25% then we’ll see big job losses by March, and cuts to both warranted officers and the civilian staff who back them up, approaching 2,500 over the next 4 years.

The West Midlands police has an almost uniquely high proportion of its budget from the Home Office grants – some 85%+. That means we’re more exposed than most to Home Office cut-backs. MPs agreed today, we’ll be going into bat to make sure that what-ever the total budget for police, we’ll do our utmost to soften the blow for the officers and staff who do so much to serve our city.