The Recession and Police Cuts

Just a quick note on the recent cuts to police budgets in the UK.

There aren't enough police officers on the streets of London. The public know it and police officers  know it. The current trend in supervisory policing is to cut. Cut cut cut. Save save save. The problem with this is that the public don't get the police service they deserve and the officers that are out there are stretched too thin.

More is being asked of officers on a day-to-day basis. The response team shift pattern, for instance, has recently been changed to 7.5 days on then 2.5 days off. That's 7 and a half days of intense, non-stop reactionary policing before 2 days rest. The work/life balance is gone and been replaced with a work/sleep balance. This doesn't leave enough time for their families and loved ones, especially as the hours they work are unsociable to start with.

Police officers have seen budget cuts that have affected their personal lives recently. The pension schemes they were paying into for up to 10 years have suddenly seen the terms changed beyond recognition. Having planned their retirement, they are having to have a complete rethink as they are expected to pay more money towards their pensions, receive much less and work for a lot longer. As well as this they have seen wage freezes and an unprecedented attack on overtime incentives and other benefits such as free travel.

All a good saving to the public purse though is it not?

Officers have their few days off cancelled for lots of reason, and often at short notice. They are working with faulty, outdated equipment such as cars, computers, and toilets that constantly clog and overflow. Conditions are poor and morale amongst police officers is lower.

I've been a police officer for around a decade. I have never seen morale in the police as low as it is currently. I have spoken to many officers who have served for over 20 years and they concur. Morale is important. To the public more than anyone else. At best officers are more tired and have less time to dedicate to crime prevention. They do a less thorough job of reporting as the next incident is always outstanding and supervisors are pushing them to arrive in the designated response time. At worst, we have a mental health crisis amongst police officers just around the corner as they suffer from a complete burnout.

Cuts effect the service the public get from the police. One day you might need the police. You might need them in a hurry. Who knows, your life may even depend on it. It will take longer for the police to get to you now then it would have 5 years ago. There is no debating that. But, more importantly, what if when the police do arrive they are too tired, or downtrodden to help you, or what if they don't even care anymore?

Anonymous Bobby