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Police deployments overseas add to strain amid budget cuts Police deployments overseas add to strain amid budget cuts
(35 minutes later)
From Calais to Magaluf, the boundary of the British bobbies’ beat is expanding, while their budgets are bleeding.From Calais to Magaluf, the boundary of the British bobbies’ beat is expanding, while their budgets are bleeding.
Theresa May, the home secretary, has struck up a deal with her French counterpart to send police officers from UK forces across the English Channel where the boys in bleu will target people-smuggling gangs to alleviate the migrant crisis at the border.Theresa May, the home secretary, has struck up a deal with her French counterpart to send police officers from UK forces across the English Channel where the boys in bleu will target people-smuggling gangs to alleviate the migrant crisis at the border.
Her announcement comes after West Midlands police sent officers to the Balearic Islands to keep tabs on the booze-fuelled antics of British holidaymakers, in a law enforcement spin on Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents.Her announcement comes after West Midlands police sent officers to the Balearic Islands to keep tabs on the booze-fuelled antics of British holidaymakers, in a law enforcement spin on Sun, Sex and Suspicious Parents.
From Istanbul, where a lone counter-terrorism officer attempts to block radicalised Brits as they flee to Isis-controlled territory in Syria, to the Ukraine, where forensic experts helped to identify victims of the MH17 plane crash, Dixon is increasingly less likely to be confined to Dock Green. From Istanbul, where a lone counter-terrorism officer attempts to block radicalised Brits as they flee to Isis-controlled territory in Syria, to Ukraine, where forensic experts helped to identify victims of the MH17 plane crash, Dixon is increasingly less likely to be confined to Dock Green.
But the powers these cross-border crime-fighters wield are not necessarily equal to those they enjoy on home ground. For example, it emerged that the solitary cop in Turkey had no powers of arrest, and so was unable to put the brakes on runaway jihadis even if their paths crossed. But the powers these crossborder crimefighters wield are not necessarily equal to those they enjoy on home ground. For example, it emerged that the solitary cop in Turkey had no powers of arrest, and so was unable to put the brakes on runaway jihadis even if their paths crossed.
And in Calais, the thin blue line is set to be equally as thin. For those demanding aggressive action in the port town, disappointment is likely as British officers appear to be lined up only in an intelligence-gathering capacity. And in Calais, the thin blue line is set to be equally as thin. For those demanding aggressive action in the port town, disappointment is likely as British officers appear to be lined up only in an intelligence gathering capacity.
This spirit of international co-operation jars with the brutal spending cuts faced at home by the police service in England and Wales. The Conservative-led coalition slashed funding to police by 20%, leading to a 17,000 drop in the number of officers, along with a matching reduction in civilian staff. This spirit of international co-operation jars with the brutal spending cuts faced at home by the police in England and Wales. The Conservative-led coalition slashed funding to police by 20%, leading to a 17,000 drop in the number of officers, along with a matching reduction in civilian staff.
With an all-Tory government at the helm, forces are facing budget cuts of up to 40% by 2020. Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan police commissioner, has proudly championed his force’s success in maintaining its numbers in the face of such heavily slashed funding. But even he now concedes that a reduction in the number of officers is inevitable.With an all-Tory government at the helm, forces are facing budget cuts of up to 40% by 2020. Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the Metropolitan police commissioner, has proudly championed his force’s success in maintaining its numbers in the face of such heavily slashed funding. But even he now concedes that a reduction in the number of officers is inevitable.
Unsurprisingly, this has left many asking whether it is wise to send officers overseas when numbers at home are dwindling. Bernard Rix, chief executive of independent policing governance monitor CoPaCC, said police and crime commissioners – the much-maligned policing leaders introduced in 2012 – should be raising concerns over the impact overseas deployments have on domestic resources. Unsurprisingly, this has left many asking whether it is wise to send officers overseas when numbers at home are dwindling. Bernard Rix, chief executive of independent policing governance monitor CoPaCC, said police and crime commissioners – the much maligned policing leaders introduced in 2012 – should be raising concerns over the impact overseas deployments have on domestic resources.
“It’s surprising that police and crime commissioners have not had more to say about the practice of sending officers from their own force on such overseas assignments,” Rix said. “These postings inevitably reduce the resource available for local policing, at a time when domestic forces are under considerable and growing financial pressure.“It’s surprising that police and crime commissioners have not had more to say about the practice of sending officers from their own force on such overseas assignments,” Rix said. “These postings inevitably reduce the resource available for local policing, at a time when domestic forces are under considerable and growing financial pressure.
“PCCs are responsible for the strategic direction of their forces, and therefore they should be making their views known to chief constables – and indeed to the home secretary – on such discretionary out-of-force assignments.”“PCCs are responsible for the strategic direction of their forces, and therefore they should be making their views known to chief constables – and indeed to the home secretary – on such discretionary out-of-force assignments.”
The Police Federation for England and Wales, the union-like body that represents tens of thousands of rank-and-file officers, is still digesting the latest plan from May – who is not exactly seen as a friend of the association – to send officers to France. The Police Federation for England and Wales, which represents tens of thousands of rank-and-file officers, is still digesting the latest plan from May – who is not exactly seen as a friend of the association – to send officers to France.
But when PC Martina Anderson and Sgt Brett Williams were sent to Magaluf, on the island of Majorca, the federation’s chair, Steve White, questioned the eyebrow-raising move. “It is a great opportunity for any officer to learn more and become acquainted with different policing procedures but it just doesn’t seem to sit right in the current climate,” he said.But when PC Martina Anderson and Sgt Brett Williams were sent to Magaluf, on the island of Majorca, the federation’s chair, Steve White, questioned the eyebrow-raising move. “It is a great opportunity for any officer to learn more and become acquainted with different policing procedures but it just doesn’t seem to sit right in the current climate,” he said.
Anderson has faced some flak recently for boasting online about being “sozzled” while off-duty. “If you can’t beat ‘em …” she wrote on Facebook. Anderson has faced some flak recently for boasting online about being “sozzled” while off duty. “If you can’t beat ‘em …” she wrote on Facebook. Perhaps, with officer numbers becoming tighter and tighter, we should give her a break. It is likely that chances to join ‘em will be fewer and further between.
Perhaps, with officer numbers becoming tighter and tighter, we should give her a break. It is likely that chances to join ‘em will be fewer and further between.