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Home Secretary pledges fewer burdens and greater powers for Police
The Police Service has a crucial role to play in meeting the challenges of 21st century security, Home Secretary John Reid said at the Police Federation annual conference in Blackpool.
The Home Secretary highlighted how the Government and police have worked together to meet these challenges - with Neighbourhood Policing now successfully introduced to police forces across England and Wales.
Putting the Police Service at the heart of public protection - from the personal, to the community to the national level - the Home Secretary said that the service would need to respond to the demands of the public, both in terms of their expectations of the police and a criminal justice system that supports the rights of the victim.
Demonstrating the Government's commitment to rebalancing the criminal justice system towards the victim and provide the police with the necessary tools and resources to deliver a modern police service fit for the 21st century, the Home Secretary also announced new powers to be brought forward shortly in the Criminal Justice Bill. These include:
* widening existing premises closure powers for the police to premises where there is persistent excessive noise, rowdy behaviour, or where residents threaten their neighbours round the clock; and
* introducing Violent Offender Orders (VOOs) which will enable the courts to impose requirements on those convicted of violent offences who pose a high risk of harm.
