“Police and crime commissioner (PCC) Alison Hernandez has told officials to find millions in cash to boost neighbourhood policing with dozens of new officers.
The Tory crime tsar won the May election with a pledge to keep open police stations and deploy more “bobbies” in communities that felt “abandoned”.
… Now Ms Hernandez has instructed her office to find all the spare money she can to fund new officers – including raising council tax and digging into cash reserves.
The operation – which could generate an extra £4million, funding as many as 80 new officers – comes as the results of a huge public consultation in Devon and Cornwall, generating 1,400 responses, are revealed.
Ms Hernandez will attend the police and crime panel in Plymouth, which oversees the PCC, to formally present her plans next Friday.
Andrew White, chief executive at the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, said every potential source of fresh money would be tapped.
“I have been going through the budget to find all the money I can to turnover as much money as possible into frontline policing,” he told the Echo. …
… The plan is not explicit about the future shape of the force but promises to “retain a broad footprint for the police estate”.
“Police stations and offices are not the primary means by which the public engage with the police although they can play a part in connecting the community to the police,” it states.
The report also says “keeping underutilised or unnecessary physical buildings will tie up capital and revenue funds which we can spend in other ways”. “Going forward when a police station is vacated we will seek to provide an alternative base within that locality.
“In addition the PCC and the Chief Constable will look at ways to widen the police footprint in local areas to improve community liaison and connectivity – including through the Citizens in Policing Programme, colocation with partners and community access points and will pilot options in the second half of 2017.”
Panel member and Plymouth City Councillor Philippa Davey said: “it is a good plan which contains lots of fantastic things but does not set out exactly how we will achieve them. “It will be interesting to hear from Alison Hernandez and the chief constable at the meeting. “The bottom line is going to be a reduction in workforce, officers and money.
“The PCC and the chief constable will be spending their time making savings rather than doing their job – keeping our communities safe from harm.”
East Devon Watch 