Police cuts: candidates call for protection of force

10:00am Tuesday 3rd July 2012 in News By Arron Hendy

The candidates for Dorset's new police commissioner role have blasted "deeply worrying" cuts The candidates for Dorset's new police commissioner role have blasted "deeply worrying" cuts

CANDIDATES for Dorset’s new police commissioner role are calling for officers to be protected amid a “deeply worrying” mix of cuts and a crime rise.

All three are planning to grill their chief constable if they win in order to get answers on last year’s rise in crime and want to find ways of saving the jobs of those on the front line.

Independent candidate Martyn Underhill wants civilian staff and PCSOs to be sacrificed before police officers and is most concerned about an 8 per cent rise in robberies.

He said: “Coupled with these staff cuts, to see crime on the increase as well highlights some “deeply worrying” issues for the Dorset Force, and the people of Dorset.

“These figures are massive compared to the national trends and the Chief Constable needs to be reassuring myself and the people of Dorset as to what his force is doing to reverse those trends.”

Bournemouth Councillor Nick King is standing as the Conservative candidate and said he wants to generate more government funding to hire more young police constables.

And he wants to check that lower ranking officers are not being sacrificed to save middle ranking jobs.

He said: “There has been a bigger drop in the front line than I would want to see.

“I think the important thing for the new commissioner is to look who those officers are who are leaving.”

Mr King said he wants tourist numbers and the night-time economy to be accounted for when Dorset Police funding is agreed.

And he said recruitment freezes are creating an “ageing” force in the county.

“My suspicion is that there’s opportunities to make greater saving by cutting out some of the middle ranking officers rather than those who are out on the beat,” he added.

“If I win one of the first things I will do is to ask where are these people being cut from as you can’t cut from the bottom.”

Rachel Rogers, Labour's Police and Crime Commissioner candidate for Dorset, said the figures are “shocking”.

She said: “Neighbourhood officers, 999 response and traffic police are being cut right across the country.

“The blame for these cuts lies squarely with the Tory-led Government.

“Our Chief Constable has been put in an impossible decision by this government’s decision to cut police funding by 20 per cent.”

Comments(13)

ajj-dorset says...
10:34am Tue 3 Jul 12

Bournemouth Conservative Nick King said: “There has been a bigger drop in the front line than I would want to see"

You and me both!
Condemn the funding cuts?
No, didnt think so!

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contric says...
10:35am Tue 3 Jul 12

so as see it labour let anyone in this country which has led to increased crime conservatives want to cut the police numbers thus giving us less and less protection then king and rogers the conservative and labour candidates want are votes am i missing something here i will let them kick me in the teeth only if they let me polish their boots first

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Gazza64 says...
10:41am Tue 3 Jul 12

Wasn't the biggest fan of PCSO's when they were introduced but disagree about them being the first to go. They are at least visible in the community. A look at Dorset Polices own website shows A Chief Constable, A Deputy Chief and two assistant Chiefs, as well as plenty of other 'Chief Officers'. Really all necessary?That looks the place to start saving money to me.

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muscliffman says...
12:12pm Tue 3 Jul 12

“My suspicion is that there’s opportunities to make greater saving by cutting out some of the middle ranking officers rather than those who are out on the beat,” says Cllr Nick King.
He is right, but only in part. The reality is that cuts should go much higher up the ranks to the top - but because of his candidature I guess he probably does not wish to upset those of real influenece.
The financial cuts needed so badly could indeed be achieved without touching the current levels of front line Police service. But it would hurt those on over generous, basically self awarded packages, who wrongly will now also determine where the cuts happen. The very same people then provide the negative media slant about front line cuts whilst really protecting their own very comfortable positions, classic public sector.
Good luck sorting this out if you are elected Cllr. King.

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Derf says...
12:25pm Tue 3 Jul 12

Independent candidate Martyn Underhill wants civilian staff and PCSOs to be sacrificed before police officers

Mr. Underhill isn't a very good candidate if he doesn't know how his local force is funded.

PCSO's are funded by the home office not individual constabularies. Cutting them wouldn't make a difference to the police budget.

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eyeinthesky says...
12:31pm Tue 3 Jul 12

Why would you need to be appointed as PCC to ask the question where the cuts are being made? I think you have a moral duty to ask that question NOW Cllr. King. Furthermore "young constables" is an ageist comment to make and suggests that you are willing to discriminate against longer serving / older constables - the very officers that the service depends upon for their invaluable experience gained over the years they have served and that you cant just teach to younger-in-service officers. The reality is that the political party to which you are affiliated is responsible for the imposition of a 20% cut to the policing budget - against the advice of the HMIC and opposition parties. When it comes to policing the only thing you get more of with less is crime. How pompous of you to suggest that the Chief Constable is making cuts in the wrong places when the reality of it is your government has put him in this invidious position. Statistically, Dorset has been the poorest funded force in the country for years. The Chief has repeatedly made this point to government but he has been ignored. Tell the communities of Dorset what you're going to do to protect and increase funding if you're really serious about being a PCC with credibility - after all you are supposed to represent our views if democratically elected and that's what most of the community want.

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John T says...
1:27pm Tue 3 Jul 12

Nick King said: 'If I win one of the first things I will do is to ask where these people are being cut from as you can't cut from the bottom.'
Since 2007, you have been receiving thousands of pounds each year from Bournemouth taxpayers as a member of Dorset Police Authority.
Could you not have found some time away from your busy schedule of filling in Dorset Police Authority and Bournemouth Council Members' expense claims, to have asked this question in the last 5 years whilst your Conservative-led and the previous Labour Governments' have been cutting Police numbers as crime increases?

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Underhill4PCC says...
6:24pm Tue 3 Jul 12

Derf wrote:
Independent candidate Martyn Underhill wants civilian staff and PCSOs to be sacrificed before police officers

Mr. Underhill isn't a very good candidate if he doesn't know how his local force is funded.

PCSO's are funded by the home office not individual constabularies. Cutting them wouldn't make a difference to the police budget.
The funding from Government meets about 70% of the cost of Community Support Officers, and is not guaranteed. When it was first introduced, the Govt paid 100%. Each year the Government continue to fund, but this is by no means ring-fenced. In addition, this budget would be devolved to me, if I were elected. I invite you to visit the Home Office site to view the Policing Ministers (Nick Herbert MP) paper on funding for 2011/12.
Kind regards Martyn

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OfCourse says...
11:07pm Tue 3 Jul 12

Mr Underhill - the Neighbourhood Policing Fund is ring fenced this year, 90% in fact goes towards PCSO's alone with 75% of this going on wages, only 25% is matched by the Police force. Whilst I appreciate this

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OfCourse says...
11:47pm Tue 3 Jul 12

Mr Underhill, the Neighbourhood Policing Fund is ring fenced this year, 90% of this is guaranteed towards PCSO's alone with 75% of this towards wages and the other 25% matched by the Police Force. This is also guaranteed until the next financial year. During that time you may realise that whilst PCSO's do not have the same powers as everyone knows, they do however give a visible Police presence where they work, know more about residents issues than most officers, provide a lot of knowledge regarding criminals and seem to do the jobs officers would rather not do as they have the more complex side of Policing to deal with. So before dismissing them it is worth considering if losing this bridge between the communities and Police is worth losing. Also, whilst it is much better to see someone with a Police background in this role and keep it politics free you must also realise that someone like Nick Herbert is about as appreciated by members of the Police as Theresa May as shown at the recent conference! Again, if you are looking at cuts in staff - would you also not look at trying to recruit more officers to avoid the shortfall when the staff have gone?

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Underhill4PCC says...
12:26am Wed 4 Jul 12

Thanks for your comment, I realise the massive importance of PCSO's, I have never said anything to the contrary? But the simple fact is, that if you ask the public "Do you want a PCSO or a Police Officer patrolling your streets?" the public will answer Police Officer. It's not about debating the role of PCSO, I think they are fantastic, it's about stark choices - There is no money, so if someone has to go, rather a PCSO than a Police Officer. And for the record, I did not use the word "sacrifice" quoted in the Echo, I list below my actual text "Although I have not been party to the 20% funding reduction arrangements, I am worried about the ratio of police officers to police staff roles being cut. Police staff and backroom functions should, whenever possible, be expended before front line officers. The PCSO reduction ratio is lower than the national average at the cost of police officers, I would like to know the rationale for that"
I have always said that PCSO's should always supplement Police Officers NOT replace them, and in a time of such stark cuts, I remain committed to that. Thanks for replying. Martyn

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Loamingloof says...
6:44pm Sun 8 Jul 12

Silly wasteful Government inventing a position whose functions are to be imagined as the local political bandwagon rolls along. Hardly anyone will vote, this paper promotes the Tory (surprise!) and the only gainers will be Echo staff who have rentaquotes on tap. Who is paying for the new BMW police cars for the Olympics? Ms Rogers doesn't appear to care ...

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Loamingloof says...
7:52pm Sun 8 Jul 12

Underhill silly enough to suggest like the Tory he obviously is that ancillary staff - especially those who write things down - should be sacked ahead of Police on the beat. Witless of course.
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Want of decently organised records left the Yorkshire ripper free for years' of further murders.
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Police have to walk their beats for a Very long time to catch any criminals.
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If the nasty and cheeseparing government cared about catching criminals they'd cancel the latest £1Bn + towards the trident upgrade and spend the money on policing, listening to those who understand the practicalities, rather than the PR and politicking of wannabes.

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