16/05/2012

Police Federation Warns Home Secretary Is "Destroying Police"

Home secretary Theresa May is facing harsh criticism from rank-and-file police officers, who say she is "on the precipice of destroying" a police service admired throughout the world.

The comments come ahead of the Police Federation conference in Bournemouth, where May will tell officers the government is standing firm and that cuts and reforms are essential.

Forces in England and Wales are experiencing budget cuts of 20% and are in line for some of the most radical reforms for 30 years and the Police Federation is expected to tell the home secretary her new measures will ruin a police service admired and replicated throughout the world.

As well as the planned 20% cuts, the federation is unhappy with the government's proposed radical overhaul of pay and conditions, and a challenge to the existing model of policing with the privatisation of an increasing number of jobs.

Paul McKeever, the federation's chairman, will tell her: "This is a bad deal for the police service.

"We have less resilience, fewer warranted officers, a weakened front line and a radically altered model of British policing.

"You are on the precipice of destroying a police service that is admired and replicated throughout the world.

"You cannot expect officers, those who understood the fiscal situation and accepted that some cuts were necessary, to take an unfair share of the cuts and just sit there and be content with their lot."

Last year her speech to the federation was met with "silent disdain", says BBC home affairs correspondent Matt Prodger.

(H)




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