Response to comments from the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners about police funding
In response to the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) comments regarding funding for police forces, Will Riches, vice chair, Police Federation of England and Wales, said:
“The fact that police and crime commissioners are saying that they have serious doubts over the future of policing due to further budget cuts, is extremely worrying but not a surprise. I hope the government sits up and takes notice.
“Earlier this year, we warned that the cuts to policing have caused irreparable damage to certain areas of the police service, including neighbourhood policing.
“Press reports that the service is creaking at the seams highlight that we are becoming increasingly unable to provide a police service that the public have come to rightly expect and deserve. It is time for everyone to be open and honest in shaping the kind of police service that the public wants and then working out how that can be funded.
“It’s all well and good talking about procuring police boots, uniforms and cars, but we first need to concentrate on making sure that there are some officers left to actually wear and use that equipment.”
