Shropshire Star comment: Cuts look bleak for the police
The fact that cuts are being made at West Mercia Police might to some extent be justified. Large organisations are duty bound to provide value for money and many are in a position to make efficiency savings.
And yet sound management, good accounting and a drive towards efficiency might not save West Mercia Police from axing some services that it would rather preserve. More importantly, it might not save members of the public from a clear and obvious diminution in service. £24.3 million is an awful lot of money to find.
Chief Constable Anthony Bangham is seeking to present the new financial realities of his force against a backdrop of earlier cuts – £67.4 million, in total. And when those £90 million-plus are taken away, it is little wonder that members of the public have lower confidence in our police force.
It is perhaps unfortunate timing that at the time in which the police cuts figures are being presented, West Mercia Police has been named in a report as the second worst force in the country for bobbies on the beat.
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Police presence can be affected when officers find themselves tied to desks completing administrative duties or fire-fighting as serious crimes are presented to them.
We are aware that policing has changed. There are occasions whereby technology makes it possible for officers to tackle crimes more efficiently and effectively using online resources. CCTV has become the eyes of our neighbourhoods; we no longer need policemen and women on every corner.
Similarly, Mr Bangham is keen to point out the work being done to prevent crimes. Our force would rather devote some of its resources to providing an effective deterrent so that officers do not have to spend more time catching criminals after a preventable event.
And yet for all of the spin and modernisation, many will view the budget cuts bleakly.
There is a perception among members of the public nationally that the chances of police apprehending a burglar are slim. Many who call officers receive their crime number and expect to hear nothing back.
Victims of car crime, shop owners who suffer from shoplifting; all have the lowest of expectations. The feeling among the public is that, in these troubled times, police have bigger priorities.
Resources are now devoted increasingly to the most serious of crimes. And it is perceived that police appear to be increasingly results driven: like football managers, their job is to have good statistics, even if that is sometimes to the detriment of the wider community.
Mr Bangham has an unenviable task as he seeks to provide leadership for his force against the backdrop of austerity and cuts. He has a hard sell as he seeks to explain and justify the fact that there will be fewer resources to devote to crime prevention and solving crime.
Many will believe that the police’s ability to keep us safe is, in fact, dwindling, however effective the force might be at painting a rosy picture.
The force is to be admired for finding new and innovative ways to go about its business. Working with hotel staff, for instance, to tackle the sexploitation of youngsters is positive. And there are other campaigns that have been successful and for which Mr Bangham and his team deserve plaudits.
But the plain reality is that the Government is not providing the resources that officers desire and need to keep our communities safe.
The police have a tough job; it is not made easier by further cuts.
