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Spending cuts put 'smaller police forces in jeopardy'

The report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary voiced concerns that forces will be forced to make deeper cuts in neighbourhood policing.

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Cuts to police force over next four years 'not an option'

Police forces could be placed in jeopardy in three to five years' times due to slashed budgets, watchdog Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has found.

Continuing to apply the cost reductions in the same way in the next four years as they've been applied in these four years is not an option, and we're very clear that the viability of some forces could be placed in jeopardy in three to five years' time.

By that we mean they would have to cut too hard and too deep into neighbourhood policing and they may not be able to guarantee or maintain the service that we're currently seeing to the public.

– Zoe Billingham, HMIC

Watchdog warns police forces at risk over cuts

A police watchdog has raised "growing concerns" that local bobbies are being taken off the beat, as it warned some forces may struggle to cope with major crimes such as rioting or multiple murders in the next few years.

A police watchdog has raised Credit: PA

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) found that neighbourhood teams are being stretched with extra work that keeps them in the office, and revealed a third of people had seen fewer police officers on patrol in the past year.

The watchdog also warned that the future of some smaller forces could be at risk in the next three to five years if recent methods used to slash budgets do not change.

Those with low police officer numbers and a low cost of policing per head were highlighted as being the most vulnerable, with Lincolnshire and Suffolk among forces deemed to be at risk.

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