For three years I have been delivering a back-to-basics approach to policing.

Full statement

Recruiting over 600 more officers and getting them out on the beat, reopening police stations to the public and sending a clear message – the police are here to fight crime and protect people.

From funding one of the largest rural policing teams in the country, the new Roads Policing Unit, the Anti-Social Behaviour Target Team, or the Task Forces busting up criminal gangs – the changes and investments I have made are working.

Lancashire Constabulary have launched two Operations with the extra resources I have made available to deliver the priorities I set of getting tough on antisocial behaviour and to relentlessly target criminal gangs:

1. Since Operation Warrior was launched – over 1,400 gang suspects have been arrested, 286kg of class A&B drugs seized, and over £1million of criminals’ cash taken off them.

2. Since Operation Centurion was launched – over 14,000 extra hours of foot patrols have taken place in antisocial behaviour hotspots, with over 1,500 stop checks and searches taking place and over 140 repeat offenders arrested.

But I know there is much more to do.

That’s why I have committed £1million a year, for the next three years, to recruit even more officers to join the ranks of local neighbourhood teams across Lancashire. It’s why I’ve set out plans to expand the Roads Policing Unit to target ‘boy racers’, and to fund a further rollout of the anti-social behaviour foot patrols.

But I can only deliver all this if re-elected in May. A vote for me is a vote to continue to focus on the basics, leading the fight against crime.

Statement prepared by George Rear on behalf of Andrew Snowden, both of 72c New Court Way, Ormskirk, L39 2YT.