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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Police chief fears migrant impact | Police chief fears migrant impact |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A chief constable has said her force needs more staff and resources to cope with the pressures caused by a sudden influx of migrant workers. | A chief constable has said her force needs more staff and resources to cope with the pressures caused by a sudden influx of migrant workers. |
| Julie Spence of Cambridgeshire Police says a dramatic change in the make-up of the population in the county is giving her officers new challenges. | Julie Spence of Cambridgeshire Police says a dramatic change in the make-up of the population in the county is giving her officers new challenges. |
| For example in the space of one year, drink-drive figures showed a 17-fold rise in arrests of foreigners. | For example in the space of one year, drink-drive figures showed a 17-fold rise in arrests of foreigners. |
| Since 2004, 83,000 East Europeans have registered to work in Eastern England. | Since 2004, 83,000 East Europeans have registered to work in Eastern England. |
| The Home Office said it has launched a migrant impacts body, which will gauge concerns around the UK. | The Home Office said it has launched a migrant impacts body, which will gauge concerns around the UK. |
| While the economic benefits of growth are clear we need to maintain the basic public services infrastructure which means increasing the number of officers we have Chief Constable Julie Spence Impact of migrants | While the economic benefits of growth are clear we need to maintain the basic public services infrastructure which means increasing the number of officers we have Chief Constable Julie Spence Impact of migrants |
| Figures compiled for the Cambridgeshire police force predict immigration will continue to have a greater impact on population growth than natural change. | Figures compiled for the Cambridgeshire police force predict immigration will continue to have a greater impact on population growth than natural change. |
| Introducing an in-depth report into the impact of migration, Mrs Spence said the county had changed dramatically. | Introducing an in-depth report into the impact of migration, Mrs Spence said the county had changed dramatically. |
| Police officers were now dealing with close to 100 languages without having the right skills - a situation, which had landed the force with a translation bill of at least £800,000. | Police officers were now dealing with close to 100 languages without having the right skills - a situation, which had landed the force with a translation bill of at least £800,000. |
| The force had also seen rises in some crimes which could be directly associated with migration. | The force had also seen rises in some crimes which could be directly associated with migration. |
| These included drink-driving involving foreign nationals and the emergence of an "international dimension" to crimes including cannabis production, human trafficking and credit card skimming. | These included drink-driving involving foreign nationals and the emergence of an "international dimension" to crimes including cannabis production, human trafficking and credit card skimming. |
| Ms Spence said knife crime was another problem area. She told the BBC's Today programme a lot of people who carried knives for protection in their home country believe they can do the same in the UK. | |
| "They don't necessarily come here to commit crime but they need to be told what they can and can't do." | |
| She added that ongoing feuds can also be brought across. | |
| "We recently had a murder that was Lithuanian on Lithuanian and it could have happened in Lithuania but it didn't," she said. | |
| The force's report warned that officers had seen increases in "critical incidents" and tensions within some communities fuelled by local resentment towards newcomers. | The force's report warned that officers had seen increases in "critical incidents" and tensions within some communities fuelled by local resentment towards newcomers. |
| 'Inadequate resources' | 'Inadequate resources' |
| The force said that outdated population figures meant the force was attempting to deal with new challenges with inadequate resources. | |
| DRINK-DRIVE ARRESTS OF NON-UK NATIONALS 2003: 572004: 9662005: 2592006: 306 Source: Cambridge Constabulary That warning echoes concerns raised by some other local authorities which say levels of public service funding are not taking into account changes caused by immigration. | DRINK-DRIVE ARRESTS OF NON-UK NATIONALS 2003: 572004: 9662005: 2592006: 306 Source: Cambridge Constabulary That warning echoes concerns raised by some other local authorities which say levels of public service funding are not taking into account changes caused by immigration. |
| Mrs Spence said: "We've been short-changed for a number of years, losing money as the population continues to grow. | Mrs Spence said: "We've been short-changed for a number of years, losing money as the population continues to grow. |
| "The profile of the county has changed dramatically and this simply isn't taken into account when the government allocates funding. | "The profile of the county has changed dramatically and this simply isn't taken into account when the government allocates funding. |
| "While the economic benefits of growth are clear we need to maintain the basic public services infrastructure which means increasing the number of officers we have." | "While the economic benefits of growth are clear we need to maintain the basic public services infrastructure which means increasing the number of officers we have." |
| Community cohesion | Community cohesion |
| Research into migrant workers has shown they are playing an increasingly pivotal role in some regions where employers say they struggle to recruit. | Research into migrant workers has shown they are playing an increasingly pivotal role in some regions where employers say they struggle to recruit. |
| The food industry is one of these key sectors, with major farming-related employers in Cambridgeshire and neighbouring counties actively seeking Eastern European workers to cover labour shortages. | The food industry is one of these key sectors, with major farming-related employers in Cambridgeshire and neighbouring counties actively seeking Eastern European workers to cover labour shortages. |
| Rhian Beynon, of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said Cambridgeshire Police's concerns had to be taken seriously, not least because many migrant workers were vulnerable to crimes such as extortion. | Rhian Beynon, of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said Cambridgeshire Police's concerns had to be taken seriously, not least because many migrant workers were vulnerable to crimes such as extortion. |
| "More reliable data on the size of the migrant population needs to be developed for a really sound discussion of public service resources to take place," she said. | "More reliable data on the size of the migrant population needs to be developed for a really sound discussion of public service resources to take place," she said. |
| "As Cambridgeshire Police point out, migrants make an important economic contribution and the majority will also be paying taxes for their services like everyone else." | "As Cambridgeshire Police point out, migrants make an important economic contribution and the majority will also be paying taxes for their services like everyone else." |
| Immigration minister Liam Byrne said: "It's vital that we take the social impact of immigration into account when we make migration decisions. | Immigration minister Liam Byrne said: "It's vital that we take the social impact of immigration into account when we make migration decisions. |
| "It's because we want to hear voices like Julie Spence's that I set up the Migrant Impacts Forum so public services can help shape our tough points system which is introduced in around 150 days time. | "It's because we want to hear voices like Julie Spence's that I set up the Migrant Impacts Forum so public services can help shape our tough points system which is introduced in around 150 days time. |
| "It's also important that those we welcome into the UK understand our traditions, learn English and use our language." | "It's also important that those we welcome into the UK understand our traditions, learn English and use our language." |