To consider the following Motion submitted by Councillor Bennett:
Cuts to Police Force Budgets
“The Council recognises the vital role played by Merseyside Police Service and thanks our police officers for the work they do in protecting our residents and in many cases putting their own lives at risk when tackling crime.
The Council considers that it is not only the Metropolitan Police Force that should be strengthened as terrorism and organised crime is spread across the country, and to do so only highlights the north/south divide.
The Council notes that;
· significant threats remain of violent crime and terrorism and that police officers consistently play the essential role in keeping order and halting terrorist atrocities.
· The latest Home Office figures show that between September 2010 and September 2016 the number of police officers in English and Welsh forces fell by 18,991, or 13%.
· As of March 2016, there were 5,639 authorised firearms officers in England and Wales, down from 6,976 in March 2010. The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) says that an additional 640 firearms officers have been recruited in the last year and plans are in place to bring the number of armed police back up to around 7,000 by next year. This is only being partly funded by the Government and some of the Police Forces must find some of the cash themselves.
· The numbers of special constables and police community support officers (PCSOs) who patrol the streets have fallen by 7% and 11% respectively in the past year alone, and simply comparing budget cuts to performance does not take account of demographic differences and crime levels. So while it is true to say that policing is being protected at least to some extent, this comes off the back of five years of deep cuts.
· Merseyside Police is approaching breaking point as the staff fighting a surge in shootings are “stretched to the limits”. That is the stark warning from Chief Constable Andy Cooke, who warned further planned budgets cuts could lead to low-level incidents not being responded to. His words came as Merseyside Police battles a gun crime epidemic while struggling to come to terms with the loss of more than 1,000 officers since 2010.
· Seven years of cuts have seen the Merseyside Police workforce slashed to such an extent that the Chief Constable, who has spent three decades in the police, has “never known a situation where Merseyside Police officers have been pushed to the limit in dealing with everything we need to deal with to keep our communities safe”. The force’s budget has already been reduced by almost £100m, but further cuts are expected to lead to the loss of more officers over the next three years. If those cuts become a reality, Chief Constable Cooke fears the public will see “a significant reduction in the service offered to them”.
· The primary duties of the Police are the protection of life and property, preservation of the peace, and prevention and detection of criminal offences which will become more difficult and unstainable with continued cuts to the police.
This Council resolves:
1. To write to the Home Secretary indicating its opposition to any further cuts to the police forces and in particular the Merseyside Police and demanding that more money is made available for our Police Forces to enable them to carry out their duties and protect the citizens; and
2. To put on record its thanks to the Chief Constable of Merseyside Police and all officers, past and present for the excellent work they have done and continue to do in addressing crime in Merseyside.”
Minutes:
It was moved by Councillor Bennett, seconded by Councillor Gannon and unanimously
RESOLVED:
Cuts to Police Force Budgets
The Council recognises the vital role played by Merseyside Police Service and thanks our police officers for the work they do in protecting our residents and in many cases putting their own lives at risk when tackling crime.
The Council considers that it is not only the Metropolitan Police Force that should be strengthened as terrorism and organised crime is spread across the country, and to do so only highlights the north/south divide.
The Council notes that:
· significant threats remain of violent crime and terrorism and that police officers consistently play the essential role in keeping order and halting terrorist atrocities.
· The latest Home Office figures show that between September 2010 and September 2016 the number of police officers in English and Welsh forces fell by 18,991, or 13%.
· As of March 2016, there were 5,639 authorised firearms officers in England and Wales, down from 6,976 in March 2010. The National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) says that an additional 640 firearms officers have been recruited in the last year and plans are in place to bring the number of armed police back up to around 7,000 by next year. This is only being partly funded by the Government and some of the Police Forces must find some of the cash themselves.
· The numbers of special constables and police community support officers (PCSOs) who patrol the streets have fallen by 7% and 11% respectively in the past year alone, and simply comparing budget cuts to performance does not take account of demographic differences and crime levels. So while it is true to say that policing is being protected at least to some extent, this comes off the back of five years of deep cuts.
· Merseyside Police is approaching breaking point as the staff fighting a surge in shootings are “stretched to the limits”. That is the stark warning from Chief Constable Andy Cooke, who warned further planned budgets cuts could lead to low-level incidents not being responded to. His words came as Merseyside Police battles a gun crime epidemic while struggling to come to terms with the loss of more than 1,000 officers since 2010.
· Seven years of cuts have seen the Merseyside Police workforce slashed to such an extent that the Chief Constable, who has spent three decades in the police, has “never known a situation where Merseyside Police officers have been pushed to the limit in dealing with everything we need to deal with to keep our communities safe”. The force’s budget has already been reduced by almost £100m, but further cuts are expected to lead to the loss of more officers over the next three years. If those cuts become a reality, Chief Constable Cooke fears the public will see “a significant reduction in the service offered to them”.
· The primary duties of the Police are the protection of life and property, preservation of the peace, and prevention and detection of criminal offences which will become more difficult and unstainable with continued cuts to the police.
This Council resolves:
1. To write to the Home Secretary indicating its opposition to any further cuts to the police forces and in particular the Merseyside Police and demanding that more money is made available for our Police Forces to enable them to carry out their duties and protect the citizens; and
2. To put on record its thanks to the Chief Constable of Merseyside Police and all officers, past and present for the excellent work they have done and continue to do in addressing crime in Merseyside.