Police cuts ‘too fast, too deep’

Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd has welcomed a National Audit Office report which accuses the Home Office of making ill-informed cuts to policing.

Following an assessment of police forces’ financial sustainability, the report says the Government has made deep cuts to policing budgets without understanding the impacts on the public.

Civil servants and police forces in England and Wales don’t fully understand the demands on policing or the factors that affect costs, auditors have found.

Mr Lloyd said: “The findings in this report chime with what I’ve been saying, and what police officers and staff have been telling me since before I became Police and Crime Commissioner — these budget cuts are too fast and too deep, putting the public at risk.

“In Greater Manchester, the way policing is delivered has been transformed for the benefit of local people, with GMP working more closely with local authorities, NHS, and other agencies to address issues such as mental health, alcohol and drugs, and child sexual exploitation.

“But the pace and depth of public-sector cuts is unsustainable. It means that, despite the commitment and hard work of police officers and staff, we are at breaking point. I welcome this report which reaffirms my concerns that the police are struggling to maintain an effective service to the public.

“As the report says, crime statistics are not a true reflection of the demands on policing and the day-to-day challenges officers face which don’t fall into stark categories. Now is the time for the Government to listen.”