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| UK's terror fight 'puts unsustainable strain on police' | UK's terror fight 'puts unsustainable strain on police' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The UK's counter-terrorism effort is putting an unsustainable strain on policing, the head of the National Police Chiefs' Council has said. | |
| Chief Constable Sara Thornton said resources were being diverted from mainstream policing in England and Wales, leading to backlogs in control rooms and slower response times. | Chief Constable Sara Thornton said resources were being diverted from mainstream policing in England and Wales, leading to backlogs in control rooms and slower response times. |
| "This puts extra strain on an already-stretched service," she added. | |
| The Home Office said it was working with police on the demands they faced. | The Home Office said it was working with police on the demands they faced. |
| So far in 2017 there have been five terror attacks in the UK, killing 36 people. | So far in 2017 there have been five terror attacks in the UK, killing 36 people. |
| Four people remain in police custody, including a 17-year-old boy, following last week's explosion at Parsons Green Tube station in which 30 people were injured. | |
| Earlier this year, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley wrote to the home secretary warning that the counter-terrorism policing network was not able to operate at "full strength". | Earlier this year, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley wrote to the home secretary warning that the counter-terrorism policing network was not able to operate at "full strength". |
| He added that other areas of policing would be at "significant" risk if resources had to be diverted. | He added that other areas of policing would be at "significant" risk if resources had to be diverted. |
| 'Undermining trust' | |
| In a blog post, Ms Thornton wrote: "Every time there's a terror attack, we mobilise specialist officers and staff to respond, but the majority of the officers and staff responding come from mainstream policing. | In a blog post, Ms Thornton wrote: "Every time there's a terror attack, we mobilise specialist officers and staff to respond, but the majority of the officers and staff responding come from mainstream policing. |
| "This puts extra strain on an already-stretched service. | "This puts extra strain on an already-stretched service. |
| "In the response to the Manchester attack, three-quarters of the resources deployed came from mainstream policing." | "In the response to the Manchester attack, three-quarters of the resources deployed came from mainstream policing." |
| She said having officer numbers at 1985 levels and crime figures up 10% in the last year created additional pressures. | She said having officer numbers at 1985 levels and crime figures up 10% in the last year created additional pressures. |
| The current funding for forces across England and Wales is "no longer enough" and the counter-terrorism policing budget will be cut by 7% in the next three years, Ms Thornton added. | The current funding for forces across England and Wales is "no longer enough" and the counter-terrorism policing budget will be cut by 7% in the next three years, Ms Thornton added. |
| She says a response will "never be as good as preventing" attacks in the first place. | She says a response will "never be as good as preventing" attacks in the first place. |
| "Fewer officers and Police Community Support Officers will cut off the intelligence that is so crucial to preventing attacks. | "Fewer officers and Police Community Support Officers will cut off the intelligence that is so crucial to preventing attacks. |
| "Withdrawal from communities risks undermining their trust in us, at a time when we need people to have the confidence to share information with us." | "Withdrawal from communities risks undermining their trust in us, at a time when we need people to have the confidence to share information with us." |
| Protecting the public from terrorism may require "difficult and unpalatable" decisions, she added. | Protecting the public from terrorism may require "difficult and unpalatable" decisions, she added. |
| Extra funding | Extra funding |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said this was Sara Thornton's "most significant intervention" in the debate about police funding since the terror attacks in London and Manchester. | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said this was Sara Thornton's "most significant intervention" in the debate about police funding since the terror attacks in London and Manchester. |
| The Home Office says the government will do what is needed to keep the public safe. | The Home Office says the government will do what is needed to keep the public safe. |
| A spokesman said: "We are increasing funding for counter-terrorism by £3.4bn and the home secretary announced £24m in extra support for CT [counter-terrorism] policing in addition to the £707m already committed for this year. | A spokesman said: "We are increasing funding for counter-terrorism by £3.4bn and the home secretary announced £24m in extra support for CT [counter-terrorism] policing in addition to the £707m already committed for this year. |
| "We have also protected overall police funding in real terms since 2015 and we are sensitive to the pressures on police forces across the country. | "We have also protected overall police funding in real terms since 2015 and we are sensitive to the pressures on police forces across the country. |
| "We are engaging with them on the demands they are currently facing." | "We are engaging with them on the demands they are currently facing." |