03.12.12
Labour PCCs fight police cuts
New police commissioners have pledged to fight Government budget cuts and seek further clarity over any future private investment in policing.
Labour PCCs Alan Charles and Paddy Tipping, for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, are meeting with Home Secretary Theresa May today to discuss these issues.
In Derbyshire there are almost 150 fewer frontline police officers since budget cuts were implemented, which were highlighted as “unacceptable” by Charles.
He said: “Derbyshire has already endured painful losses in police numbers and any continued drive to realise further savings from the police budget, above those we already face, will leave us in a very vulnerable position in the future.
“Vast and relentless cuts of the scale we have seen over the past few years are eventually going to have a detrimental impact on performance and this will ultimately undermine the good work that has taken place to build confidence and trust in the Force and ensure residents living in the county feel safe.
“There are real fears the involvement of the private sector will ultimately lead to further losses in police manpower and we will be seeking reassurances that Commissioners will be involved in any decisions which could affect capacity from an operational point of view.”
Tipping said: “If the Government's own funding formula was applied correctly, Nottinghamshire alone would be £13.5m better off next year which would ease the financial pressure significantly.
“Commissioners across the country are facing incredibly difficult choices and I hope that the Autumn Statement and subsequent police settlement will take the implications for policing into account.
“I want people to be safe, to feel safe and I don't believe that ongoing funding cuts will help. I have pledged to put 150 police officers back on the streets of Nottinghamshire – if we had parity in police funding I would be in a position to increase this figure.”
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