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Jim In March

by msecadm4921

The thin blue line of blue getting thinner will no doubt have a knock on effect on the private security industry, writes Jim Gannon. From the March print issue of Professional Security magazine.

With a reported £5 billion alone lost through Retail Crime in 2009 is this the time to be considering the reduction of Police budgets by an estimated £480m in 2010. Fears that officer numbers will have to be reduced when increased unemployment and a continued economic downturn could well bring a surge in crime across the UK. Police forces across the country are reviewing their budgets and financial planning after the Treasury raised their ‘Efficient Savings Targets’ in the latest budget from 3 to 4 per cent. Although there was a reported 2.7pc rise in Whitehall funding for policing it was apparently swallowed up in one mouthful by pay rises.
 
So called efficiency savings
The media continually reports on the state of our economic situation and the state of public finances so when we hear the words ‘efficiency savings’ we all know what this means, it’s simply cut-backs wherever they can be made. For those of us who have spent any time in commercial security, especially those who have had responsibilty for security budgets, all know that when the words are uttered, " we want you to look for efficiency savings" one always knows what’s coming next which is then followed by the response ‘how much and by when’?
 
Government quotes
Ed Balls the Schools Secretary, one of the more positive and outspoken ministers in today’s Government, was recently quoted in The Times as saying that the Government would keep investing in front-line services and that a recovering economy could change the picture. He also told BBC 1’s Andrew Marr Show " I think if we are deft and we get the economy right we can keep investing in schools and hospitals and our police at the front line." While Ed Balls obviously believes the current Government can get us through this sticky patch, the big question is what lies ahead for UK police forces if and when the parties change at the next scheduled election and if the Conservatives get in power, as I believe they will, what have they in mind for our beleaguered police forces?
 
Good record
According to the Association of Chief Police Officers the police service has a good track record on making savings, but this time it looks as though they will need to find much more of their financial purse so much so it might even involve taking out the lining. Deeper savings required, after the easier savings have been made, forces police authorities to look for more radical options thus increasing a degree of risk and invariably this will lead to a cut in head-count as police authorities try to balance the books.
 
So the line gets thinner
In the early part of 2009 The Times reported that 19 of the 43 forces in England and Wales had already been forced to cut officer strength as the largest proportion of expenditure is always staff. While we are all aware that some of these so called officer head-count savings are made by civillianising police roles, it’s the public’s perception of how they see their local police delivering service levels that really counts. The officer on the beat is what most public want to see and in my younger days as a probationary constable walking or cycling my beat I got to know everyone and everyone got to know me. While I appreciate we can never go back to those halcyon days it’s still front-line officers who are seen to be the heartbeat of the police service and who will continue to influence public opinion no matter how much blurb is printed and released to the public about crime figures reducing. A fact much disputed by those fighting crime and its effect in the commercial security industry. The Home Office always states that officer numbers and police funding is at record levels and apparently maintain that head-count is up 60pc over the last ten years.
 
Public awareness
It’s hard to visualise how chief constables will be able to make significant savings without it affecting the service they give to the public. While everyone in business looks for common sense efficiency targets it’s going to be simply a case of police forces doing what has to be done and not what they would like to do. On that basis services which save life and prevent physical harm will outweigh the case to investigate property and commercial crime. A stolen car can be replaced; a youngster stabbed to death cannot. In a division where I once worked what we did in the CID with a detective inspector, four detective sergeants and 16 detective constables is now done by a detective sergeant and three officers. Hardly any wonder then that they are well pressed and doing an unenviable job wrapped up in red tape. Chief constables and senior officers will be faced with taking hard decisions about what can be sacrificed and innovative thinking has to be flung out of the window as it does not produce the savings required. While the public will not know about police force collaboration on the procurement of supplies and services and a number of the other things done to enable front line services to continue, they will have something to say when they see and feel any cuts made effecting their perception of the service they get.
 
So the future
The 43 police forces in England and Wales will in my opinion be cut by at least ten per cent in the next five years and if I were a betting man I would think the odds on are that it will be 20pc. There have been suggestions in the media in late January that forces are already discussing the possibilities and have been doing so for some time now. The fact that employment costs in any organisation are always costly makes amalgamating smaller forces into some of the larger ones seems an obvious route to take. Significant savings could be made quickly in absorbed headquarters and administrative areas. Forces like the Thames Valley and West Midlands will be eyeing their smaller neighbouring forces and weighing up the possibilities to see if there are benefits and quick wins to be had for all concerned. Whilst this may be distasteful for some, it is important to add that if this is the only route to take, to keep officers in the front line, then it leaves little option open to the decision makers. While police budget cuts may keep Government happy in order that they can balance their books, it leaves many chief constables with the problem of deciding what service they can no longer provide to the public and it’s a belief that serious organised crime might be at the top of that list followed closely by commercial crime.
 
Disillusionment looms
Why is there disillusionment within the police and what can be done? They have seen UK banks bailed out by the Government with billions of pounds, when the results were in the main self-inflicted and yet here they are with backs against the wall taking punches from all angles and nowhere to go. The next 12 months will see a number of changes and with politicians from all parties speaking out about the importance of tackling youth crime, anti-social behaviour,binge drinking, neighbourhood policing and radical elements in our society there are fears that there may not be many of the thin blue line left to actually deal with it?
  
About the writer

After a total 40 years serving in the police force and in commercial industry Jim Gannon retired from The Unipart Group of Companies in January 2008 after being its Head of Group Corporate Security operations since 2003. He now spends his time in retirement advising commercial clients how to secure police prosecutions in cases of crime against them. He has served on the Professional Security Advisory Board since 1995.

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