- Conference
- 2015 Police & Justice Service Group Conference
- Date
- 1 January 2015
- Decision
- Carried
Conference with further attacks on the police budget scheduled under the new Tory government over the next 5 years, we will see the concept of neighbourhood policing severely damaged and in some forces disappear completely.
A recent report carried out by UNISON, the biggest union for police staff, shows that neighbourhood policing has taken more than its share of the Government’s 20% cuts to police budgets.
In short, the Government has failed to protect the front line.
UNISON research shows that:
A) in September 2013, there were 3,585 fewer police community support officers (PCSOs) in England than in March 2010;
B) The Welsh Government has bucked this trend by funding an additional 409 PCSOs, over the same period, in the four Welsh forces;
C) This equates to a 22% cut to PCSO numbers in England;
D) This is a higher figure than the overall 20% cut to police budgets, showing that neighbourhood policing has been cut harder than other police functions;
E) 61% of UNISON PCSO members report that neighbourhood policing teams in their force have been the subject of cuts in staffing or resources.
Conference, will be well aware that for the past 5 years we as a public service have suffered huge cuts, which have had a knock on effect to how we serve the public.
We now face five more years of unfettered Tory rule and further damaging cuts to force budgets that will inevitably lead to further dismantling of Neighbourhood Policing.
Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) specifically have been hit, with 25% less PCSOs on the street since the coalition government gained power in 2010. This staggering statistic is likely to rise under this government
The impact of the cuts are being felt in the following key areas:
I) Falling numbers of neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs
II) Detrimental changes to overall resourcing for neighbourhood policing
III) PCSOs having to cover much larger beats and more lone working
IV) Frustration that PCSOs can no longer provide the service to communities they want to
V) Cuts to transport, equipment, buildings and uniform
Conference calls upon the Service Group Executive to:
1) work with Labour Link and the APCC to raise the profile of PCSOs explore how we can take the campaign further and help protect neighbourhood policing;
2) work with police branches to develop a strategy to protect PCSO;
3) Initiate, support and develop a campaign to highlight the importance of PCSO’s within neighbourhood policing to the general public.
4) work with the National Police Chiefs Council and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners so that we can together combat these cuts and that it mount a media campaign to bring the stark reality of the situation into the public arena.