Some readers will have seen the article last week covering my shift with the police in Rastrick. During the same week, the Conservatives announced their policy on bail laws, demanding they must be tightened to ensure public safety is put first.

Unbelievably, the latest figures show that almost half of all those who breach bail are let off with a fine, the average amount being just £60. This is despite the devastating conseqences this can have on people's lives:

In 2006, almost 65,000 violent crime suspects were freed on bail, amounting to four out of every five violent crime suspects arrested by the police

Government figures have revealed that in January 2008 alone, 13 per cent of defendants charged with murder, and 85 per cent of manslaughter suspects were on bail. How can we let this continue? Conservatives are demanding that tighter bail laws are needed, and indeed have announced proposals to reform two crucial areas of bail law: decisions to bail defendants and enforcing conditions when a suspect is bailed.

Public safety will be made an explicit consideration in all bail decisions – I am amazed the Labour Government do not already recognise this!

Bail will be denied for those previously convicted of the most serious offences

It is clear the current system is not working. Bail is too easily granted, frequently breached, weakly enforced and public confidence is undermined. It is essential we address this issue to stop more victims of crime being created unnecessarily.

Craig Whittaker,
Conservative Parliamentary candidate,
Calder Valley