Police will cop it

Sep 16 2010 Buckinghamshire Examiner

POLICE bosses in Thames Valley are putting a brave public face on the 25 per cent cuts they are having to make, but it is obvious a big reduction in services is on its way.

In the words of Mark McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation, it is impossible to reduce spending on that scale and to maintain a full service.

He predicts that, nationwide, 40,000 officers will lose their jobs. Given there are 127,000 officers in England, according to the Police Federation website, logic suggests that the Thames Valley force could shrink by about 32 per cent.

If so - and nothing is being ruled out at this stage - then a serious reduction in policing is surely all we can expect.

We will have to get used to police responding to emergency situations and serious crime only. Possibly they will have to concentrate less on the crime prevention measures that have brought down reported crime dramatically in South Bucks in the past two years.

Any thought that police will spend much time walking the beat to maintain a visual presence, is surely wishful thinking.