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Police spend 'to fall by £500m' Police spend 'to fall by £500m'
(about 11 hours later)
Police forces in England and Wales are to be told to make annual savings of around £500m in the next five years. Police forces in England and Wales are to be told to make annual savings of more than £500m by 2014.
The details are in a White Paper on policing to be published later.The details are in a White Paper on policing to be published later.
The Home Office document is also set to say officers should patrol the streets alone, rather than in pairs, to make them more accessible to the public. The Home Office document will also say officers should patrol the streets alone, rather than in pairs, to make them more accessible to the public.
Police in all 43 forces are also to be given more discretion over the way they deal with less serious crimes, after a successful pilot scheme in four areas. However, chief officers are warning against plans to save £70m by cutting overtime, which they say is vital to "front-line" policing.
Under the savings plans, police in all 43 forces in England and Wales would be given more discretion over the way they deal with less serious crimes, after a successful pilot scheme in four areas.
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw says the government has invested record amounts in policing over the past decade but with public finances under severe strain, ministers now expect forces to make significant savings.BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw says the government has invested record amounts in policing over the past decade but with public finances under severe strain, ministers now expect forces to make significant savings.
It is understood the White Paper will say that by 2014 police could save £545m a year, about 5% of its government grant.It is understood the White Paper will say that by 2014 police could save £545m a year, about 5% of its government grant.
Officials believe most of the savings could be achieved if forces work together to purchase computer systems, police vehicles and uniforms, rather than ordering them separately. We need to give chief officers the freedom to spend their money wisely - overtime is a vital part of that Acpo president Sir Hugh Orde
The paper will also suggest cutting police overtime to save £70m, but this is likely to be resisted by some front-line officers. Home Secretary Alan Johnson said forces could save by working together to buy computer systems and day-to-day equipment, rather than ordering them separately.
Other proposals include encouraging single patrolling to maximise visibility and engagement with the public. "Police forces are collaborating to find ways to jointly procure - whether that's on uniforms, whether that's on cars, whether that's on air-support services," he said.
Some forces, including the Metropolitan Police, are already starting to do this. "There are always opportunities to do more."
About £400m was spent on extra policing hours last year but President of the Association of Chief Police Officers, Sir Hugh Orde, warned against too many cuts.
"Only sergeants and constables are paid overtime. Where the need is, is at the front line so I think we need to be careful about salami-slicing the budget," he said.
"We need to give chief officers the freedom to spend their money wisely, to focus on the front-end of policing, and overtime is a vital part of that."
Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said he understood the financial pressures on the government.
'Hard trick'
However, he said it would be a "hard trick to pull off" to ensure cuts did not impinge on front-line services.
"The public expects officers to be there when needed and sometimes that means overtime is going to have to be paid."
Mr McKeever said more centralised procurement could stop "an awful lot" of money being "wasted" by individual forces and that some force mergers were "inevitable".
Other proposals include encouraging single patrolling to maximise visibility and engagement with the public, although the federation says that already happens routinely in many areas.
Former Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Ian Blair said the reforms did not go far enough and that a royal commission - a non-party political inquiry - should examine the issue.
"[The White Paper] talks about cutting overtime. It doesn't talk about restructuring the police service... restructuring the workforce," he said.