Nearly one in four police officers are stuck behind desks — not out on the beat

NEARLY one in four police officers are stuck behind desks — not out on the beat.

More bobbies than ever are spending their time in IT, admin and communication roles rather than patrolling streets, a study by Labour reveals.

The figures show 22 per cent of all officers are in back- office roles —­ a ten year high.

Labour’s shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper will today set out the party’s new crime initiative — vowing to introduce more police patrols, neighbourhood teams and an officer in every community.

It comes as the number of people who say they do not see police on the street has nearly doubled from 25 per cent in 2010 to 48 per cent.

In a major speech where she will claim Labour are now the “party of law and order”, Ms Cooper will lay out her plan for a crackdown on anti-social behaviour and drug dealing.

She is set to say: “For 13 years, the Conservatives have deliberately run a hands-off Home Office.

“They have failed to take proper action on youth knife crime, drug dealing, fraud or town centre anti-social behaviour, and failed to introduce serious policing reform.

“Their laissez-faire approach to crime and policing has badly let communities down.

“A Labour Home Office will work with communities to prevent crime and catch criminals. That means rebuilding and renewing the neighbourhood police who are at the heart of our communities and the fight against crime.”

But policing minister Chris Philp said last night: “Labour’s announcement is over four months old and further evidence of their soft on crime approach. Their proposed investment is a tenth of what we are delivering.

“This government is recruiting the most police officers we have ever had.

“A total of 20,000 fully funded extra officers will be recruited by April.”