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Police chiefs: cuts will 'severely impact' UK's ability to fight terrorism Police chiefs say cuts will severely affect UK's ability to fight terrorism
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Cuts to officer numbers will “severely impact” the ability of the police to deal with a Paris-style attack, the home secretary has been warned by senior police chiefs. Cuts to officer numbers will severely affect the ability of the police to deal with a Paris-style attack, senior police chiefs have told the home secretary.
In a letter to Theresa May following the atrocities in France, senior officers said mainstream policing was crucial in tackling terrorism.In a letter to Theresa May following the atrocities in France, senior officers said mainstream policing was crucial in tackling terrorism.
The letter was sent at the request of a government Cobra emergency committee and although it will be seen as part of the growing row over spending cuts, its leak shows the fears among police officers about the impact of planned cuts on security. The letter was sent at the request of a government Cobra emergency committee and, although it will be seen as part of the growing row over spending cuts, its leak shows the fears among police officers about the impact on security of planned cuts.
The letter is said to accept cuts of 10% as extremely difficult but manageable, adding anything beyond this would risk security in the UK. The letter is said to accept cuts of 10% as extremely difficult but manageable, adding anything beyond that would risk security in the UK.
The letter states: “Police forces across England and Wales have already seen a reduction of 40,000 officers and further losses will severely impact on our surge capacity...” The letter states: “Police forces across England and Wales have already seen a reduction of 40,000 officers and further losses will severely impact on our surge capacity.”
Andy Burnham, the shadow home secretary, referred to the letter on BBC Question Time and has urged May to repel demands for further cuts from the chancellor, George Osborne. Andy Burnham, the shadow home secretary, referred to the letter on BBC1’s Question Time and has urged May to repel demands for further cuts from the chancellor, George Osborne.
Damian Green, the former home office minister, said in the last parliament that the number of community officers had increased by 3,700 and the counter-terror budget was protected. He said it should be possible for the police to reorganise itself further to make further savings. Damian Green, the former Home Office minister, said in the last parliament that the number of community officers had increased by 3,700 and the counter-terrorism budget was protected. He said it should be possible for the police to reorganise themselves to make further savings.
But Burnham has warned that savings above 10% would be “dangerous and put public safety at risk”. But Burnham has said that savings above 10% would be “dangerous and put public safety at risk”.
In a letter to the May, Burnham said: “Given the events in Paris last weekend we repeat our belief that it would be unwise to ask the police to deliver further difficult savings above 5% over the next five years.” In a letter to May, Burnham said: “Given the events in Paris last weekend we repeat our belief that it would be unwise to ask the police to deliver further difficult savings above 5% over the next five years.”
He added: “Reductions in mainstream policing will not only significantly impact on the ‘surge’ ability of the police to provide the additional support required at an emergency incident, but cuts to neighbourhood policing will have a detrimental effect on local intelligence gathering and countering terrorism.” He added: “Reductions in mainstream policing will not only significantly impact on the ‘surge’ ability of the police to provide the additional support required at an emergency incident, but cuts to neighbourhood policing will have a detrimental effect on local intelligence-gathering and countering terrorism.”
The senior police officers’ letter to May states: “It would be remiss of me not to highlight the impact further reductions in police force numbers would have on our ability to manage terrorist incidents of this magnitude, particularly if spread simultaneously across a number of geographical locations.The senior police officers’ letter to May states: “It would be remiss of me not to highlight the impact further reductions in police force numbers would have on our ability to manage terrorist incidents of this magnitude, particularly if spread simultaneously across a number of geographical locations.
“Police forces across England and Wales have already seen a reduction of 40,000 officers and further losses will severely impact our surge capacity, which is heavily geared and will reduce very significantly across the country unless a different funding settlement is found.”“Police forces across England and Wales have already seen a reduction of 40,000 officers and further losses will severely impact our surge capacity, which is heavily geared and will reduce very significantly across the country unless a different funding settlement is found.”
The letter says the position of different police forces varies, but “the overarching concerns are the same”.The letter says the position of different police forces varies, but “the overarching concerns are the same”.
It adds: “These considerations are of course in addition to the need to sustain neighbourhood policing to maintain local trust and intelligence flows. It adds: “These considerations are of course in addition to the need to sustain neighbourhood policing to maintain local trust and intelligence flows.”
National Police Chiefs’ Council said: “Following the tragic terrorist attack in Paris last week, we have been reviewing our ability to respond to a well organised, multi-sited terrorist in the UK. Our officers are well trained and equipped and we are constantly evolving to meet the threat from terrorism. A spokeswoman for the National Police Chiefs’ Council said: “Following the tragic terrorist attack in Paris last week, we have been reviewing our ability to respond to a well-organised, multi-sited terrorist in the UK. Our officers are well-trained and equipped and we are constantly evolving to meet the threat from terrorism.
“As you would expect, we are discussing our capacity to respond to an attack like the one in Paris with the government. These discussions include assessments of the number of officers we have to counter terrorism and the impact of future funding cuts.“As you would expect, we are discussing our capacity to respond to an attack like the one in Paris with the government. These discussions include assessments of the number of officers we have to counter terrorism and the impact of future funding cuts.
“We do not comment on leaked documents, which form part of these important discussion,“We do not comment on leaked documents, which form part of these important discussion,
Kevin Hurley, police and crime commissioner for Surrey and former head of counter-terrorism for the City of London police, described the cuts as “negligent” and compared the situation for police officers facing Paris-style terrorist attacks to soldiers during the first world war.Kevin Hurley, police and crime commissioner for Surrey and former head of counter-terrorism for the City of London police, described the cuts as “negligent” and compared the situation for police officers facing Paris-style terrorist attacks to soldiers during the first world war.
Speaking to the BBC, he said: “Equipment we give to armed response units is below the standard needed to take on people with AK-47s. What we are aiming to do is the same thing we did in the first world war, which is send single-shot riflemen against machine guns. We don’t learn the lesson.Speaking to the BBC, he said: “Equipment we give to armed response units is below the standard needed to take on people with AK-47s. What we are aiming to do is the same thing we did in the first world war, which is send single-shot riflemen against machine guns. We don’t learn the lesson.
“The thing that concerns me is this government will not listen to its own senior Conservative crime commissioners who are telling them these cuts cannot go on, when I am saying, in the most Conservative area in the country, stop risking the safety of the public.“The thing that concerns me is this government will not listen to its own senior Conservative crime commissioners who are telling them these cuts cannot go on, when I am saying, in the most Conservative area in the country, stop risking the safety of the public.
“The Paris police used military grenade launchers to take down those terrorists. We are nowhere near that capable, even in London. The counties around the country have got hardly any armed officers available at any one time to protect them.“The Paris police used military grenade launchers to take down those terrorists. We are nowhere near that capable, even in London. The counties around the country have got hardly any armed officers available at any one time to protect them.
“Something like what happened in Paris could happen in any of our towns, any of our cities up and down the country. It’s negligent and it’s unacceptable.”“Something like what happened in Paris could happen in any of our towns, any of our cities up and down the country. It’s negligent and it’s unacceptable.”
Aside from armed response units, Hurley stressed that one of the key issues was cuts to the number of police community support officers being recruited.Aside from armed response units, Hurley stressed that one of the key issues was cuts to the number of police community support officers being recruited.
He said: “So far police have lost 30,000 civilian employees, nearly 20,000 sworn police officers, with a similar number on the line to come. They are our key link for our intelligence about what’s going on. The public don’t know how bad it’s getting.”He said: “So far police have lost 30,000 civilian employees, nearly 20,000 sworn police officers, with a similar number on the line to come. They are our key link for our intelligence about what’s going on. The public don’t know how bad it’s getting.”