POLICE forces are calling for the reversal of government cuts to allow “more boots on the ground” after the latest figures revealed today that reports of violent crime rose by 19 per cent in one year.

Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) chair John Apter said forces are “swimming against the tide and it is the public who are being let down.”

He added that the government’s Violent Crime Strategy had omitted to mention that there are 22,000 fewer police officers since 2010 — with 80 per cent lost from the front line.

The new data from the Office of National Statistics showed 739 non-terrorism-related homicides in the 12 months to last September.

This is 90 more homicides than the previous year and the highest number since 2008.

The number of recorded stalking and harassment offences increased by 41 per cent, the data also shows.

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the figures show that the government “remains in denial about the effects of its own policies.”

“The Tories have cut police officer numbers. They have also exacerbated all the causes of crime, including inequality, poverty, poor mental healthcare as well the crisis in our schools, especially school exclusions,” she added.