Police budget cuts Flashcards
How much is proposed to be cut?
£12m is proposed to be cut from local policing, £700,000 from operations.
What was Osborne’s proposal in cuts?
Osborne proposed to cut 25% to 40% in his Autumn Statement in 2015
Reason to cut police budget
There is a heightened risk of terrorism following a series of attacks in mainland Europe
Arguments for cutting police budget
• Saving money
Police force made £600m of savings since 2010 by reducing overtime, cutting managers and selling off 120 buildings
Arguments for cutting police budget
• There is still money circulating
Budget cuts does not mean additional cuts to frontline officers
Arguments for cutting policy budget
• Standards are not reduced
While individual forces are seeing their budgets reduced, extra money is being spent on counter-terrorism
Arguments against budget cuts in police force
• Kent example
Kent Police has had to cut £62m from its budget since 2012 and has lost 1,500 jobs over the period
Arguments against budget cuts in police force
• Drop in standard
It could force a cut in the number of officers on the streets and reduction of police constables in neighborhood policing teams
Criticism of cutting budget by the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers
‘Too far and too deep.’
Falling crime levels do not mean police forces need less money because crime is only 28% of what the police force deal with on a daily basis.
Implication of cutting police budget
Fewer officers because most policing costs go on staffing
Front-line services need to be reduced to meet the financial budget
Example of the few police officers
The Metropolitan police, Britain’s largest force, may have to cut between 1,300 and 5,200 police officers, if the full planned cuts are introduced.
What is the target of saving through cutting police budget?
• In Sussex
For example in Sussex, they aimed to make £50m of savings by 2021
