HOME Secretary Jack Straw will be expected to deliver the pledges he made to police as an opposition MP when he speaks to their annual conference next week.

The Blackburn MP is due to address more than 1,000 officers about the future of the police service under a Labour government during the Police Federation get-together at Blackpool Winter Gardens.

And police in Lancashire, who will suffer the drain on resources needed to provide security for the Cabinet Minister, will be expecting him to continue his support for them.

The Federation represents 126,000 policemen and women between the rank of constable and chief inspector.

Mr Straw spoke to them as Shadow Home Secretary at their conference in Scarborough last year.

And Lancashire Police Federation secretary Colin Berry said: "We have had a good liaison in the past. "He understands our problems and we understand his. All we ask is for him to do his best for us. No doubt his speech will continue some of what he said last year, especially with regard to new measures to tackle juvenile crime.

"If he continues in the same vain we would be quite happy."

Mr Straw will be joined at the event by Federation chairman Fred Broughton, who will deliver a keynote speech about the policing challenge that faces the new government.

Delegates from all over the country will debate more than 40 motions, including the release of murder victims' bodies for burial within a set time.

There will be calls for intimidation of police officers and their families to be made a criminal offence and a demand to prevent sex offenders from conducting their own defence.

The federation also wants high enough staffing levels to ensure officers' safety and a there will be a debate about the extra demands on police caused by the care in the community scheme.

A series of fringe meetings will discuss things such as CS sprays, health and safety, equal opportunities, police training and developments in the design of uniforms.

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