Press Release

12 June 2006

Paice: Police Merger Could Cost Cambs 250 Officers

Senior police officers warn of cuts to fund changes

Controversial Government plans to create an East Anglian police force could cost Cambridgeshire 250 police officers, local MP Jim Paice has warned. 

A report by the Association of Chief Police Officers reveals that Government proposals to merge police forces will cost £538m cannot be achieved “without additional Government funding”. However, since the Home Office budget has been frozen, police forces across the country may be forced to cut their workforces to balance the books. The report highlights that “forces will need around 6% to 7% cashable savings per annum…through staff reductions…equivalent to holding (deleting) 25,000 police officer posts nationally.”

A cut of 25,000 police officers would mean a reduction of 251 officers in Cambridgeshire and 762 across the three forces to be merged.

Mr Paice said: “The Government is driving through the costly merger of local police forces with little debate or scrutiny and against the wishes of local people. 

“Now it emerges that the demise of Cambridgeshire police force might not just lead to a loss of local accountability, knowledge and responsiveness, but 250 officers as well. This is simply unacceptable. The public want to see more, not fewer, uniformed police officers patrolling the streets.

“Unless strong evidence can be provided that these proposals will cut crime, strengthen the bonds between local people and the police, and increase the number of officers on the beat, these changes shouldn’t even be considered.

“What is clear is that the people of Cambridgeshire will be the losers under the Home Secretary’s proposals.

“If it comes down to a choice between keeping 250 police officers or an amalgamated police force, I know which I would rather.”