Complaints against officers

[Fedster + 1,307]

Head of West Midlands force and PCC warn over cuts.

CC David Thompson and PCC David Jamieson

 

It is an "inescapable conclusion" that cuts to policing are endangering the public, the police and crime commissioner for one of England's biggest police forces has said.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said fewer officers to deal with rising crime is a "deadly equation".

His comments come as the force's chief constable said the "reality" of modern-day policing means the public are sometimes not getting the service they expect.

Chief Constable David Thompson said demand on his force was increasing, with cuts across all public services meaning more vulnerable people were coming into contact with the police.

Warning that the "list" of crimes that needed to be investigated, including modern-day slavery and gang crime, was increasing, he admitted that it had left policing in a position that was "not sustainable".

He told the BBC: "The level of calls we're receiving this summer are very challenging [and] sometimes that service that we're providing [at] those peak times doesn't meet what the public expect.

"We may be dealing with it over the phone where they would like to see us, and I'm sorry about that but that is the reality of where policing is now.

"And on some occasions [...] the service will not meet what I want it to do and it will not meet the response that the public absolutely will want when they're at a time of vulnerability."

He added that the force was "drawing the bar higher" on what it would investigate, but stressed that this did not refer to offences such as serious assaults.

Mr Jamieson said work which was routine in the past, such as officers visiting homes after a burglary, or an officer being present after a person had their car broken into, are duties that are becoming "increasingly difficult".

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This year, with the warmer weather, we have just been inundated by violent crime and we're seeing homicides going up rapidly.

"The homicide team in the West Midlands is actually at bursting point at the moment dealing with the many serious incidents they've had.

"Add to that the sexual and domestic crime which has been much more important in the public's mind in the last one or two years.

"We really are at a point now where it's extremely difficult to see how we can sustain what the public would call an acceptable level of policing."

Asked if cuts to police funding in recent years are endangering the public, he replied: "I think that's the inescapable conclusion.

"And I leave your listeners to work this out. You know, we have far fewer officers, we're not able to deal with all the incidents we could deal with. It's a deadly equation, isn't it?"

He said officers were left frustrated that they are not "able to provide the service that they would really like to".

The Home Office says total investment in the police system will be increased by more than £460 million in 2018-19, with West Midlands Police receiving a cash increase of £9.9 million compared with 2017-18.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid used his first major speech after his appointment in May to offer an olive branch to rank-and-file personnel, following years of acrimony over funding cuts and staffing reductions.

He pledged to provide "tools, the powers and the back-up that you need to get the job done", adding: "I am listening and I get it."

View On Police Oracle

 

[Reasonable Man + 1,231]

Waiting for the comments from the posters who usually complain about out of date bosses who never support the front line while covering their ar5es and protecting their own interests, while hanging the workers out to dry.

[Hyphen + 693]

22 minutes ago, Reasonable Man said:

Waiting for the comments from the posters who usually complain about out of date bosses who never support the front line while covering their ar5es and protecting their own interests, while hanging the workers out to dry.

I’m usually one that is critical of a lack of voice from the senior officers/PCCs.

I absolutely welcome this sort of article. I think there needs to be more honesty. 

The state of policing is a disgrace frankly. People are being let down badly.

[Zulu 22 + 4,571]

It has taken them about 6 or 7 years for the management to say it. Strange that those workers hung out to dry have been saying it for much longer. Remember Mrs May, as Home Secretary, at the Federation Conference being told it by the Federation and delegates at Conference. 

The pity of it is, it has taken them so long to say it. Chiefs and the COP have been deafening by their silence previously.