HOME SECRETARY Sajid Javid has vowed to recruit 20,000 to combat increasing knife crimes if he is elected the next prime minister.
Sajid, who recently announced his bid to replace prime minister Theresa May, said he would spend £1 billion over three years to recruit more police officers. He wants to put more police on the beat and end a "culture of impunity" among criminals.
Writing in The Sun, Javid said: "I’d continue work to peel back layers of bureaucracy that have crept up over decades so police can concentrate on policing, not paperwork.
"That means 20,000 more coppers. Not sat behind desks, but pounding the pavements. It’s what the police want, it’s what the public wants, and it’s what I will deliver.
"I want to see a return to bobbies on the beat in every corner of the country. In cities, towns, villages and the countryside, I want the public to feel the confidence that comes from seeing officers in their communities.
"And I want to end the culture of impunity criminals increasingly feel as a result of lack of police presence.
"As Prime Minister, I want to put opportunity at the heart of everything I do. But we can only give people the chance to get on if we give them the safety and security that they deserve."
Javid is one of the 11 people vying to replace May as prime minister. His cabinet colleagues Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt and Matt Hancock are also in the fray.
Announcing his bid through a video posted on Twitter, Javid said he would be “a leader who is always straight” with voters.
"I'm standing to be the next leader of (the) Conservatives and Prime Minister of our great country," he said on Twitter. "We need to restore trust, bring unity and create new opportunities across the UK. First and foremost, we must deliver Brexit."
