Police resilience threatened as recession crime increases

12 May 2009

  

Police resilience threatened as recession crime increases

 

An additional 2,000 police officers over the next three years is urgently needed if the police service is to maintain the current level of service, let alone deal with the predicted increase in property crime rates as the recession deepens.

 

This stark message is delivered to government by Paul McKeever, Chairman of the Police Federation on the opening day of the Federation’s annual conference in Bournemouth.

 

The Police Federation of England and Wales has conducted research which shows that when the economy is in recession property crime tends to grow relatively quickly. In the current economic climate the research suggests an increase of nearly 25% in the next two years.   The research also clearly demonstrates that we enter the current recession with relative police officer numbers falling, in marked contrast to previous recessions when police officer numbers actually increased or were maintained.

 

The relative number of police officers per 100,000 of the population has fallen steadily since 2006. It has reduced from 260 to 254, with constables falling from 204 to 198. If this trend continues over the next three years to 2012 then the relative number of police officers per 100,000 of the population will decline even further to 251 and constables down to 193.

 

Paul McKeever, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, says:

 

“With crime rates set to increase as the recession deepens, politicians of all parties need to sit up and take notice of this Police Federation research which clearly shows that the resilience of the service will be damaged unless police officer strength is increased over the next three years.

 

“We must not lose sight that we will also be policing the biggest sporting event this country has handled in 2012, when the Olympics comes to the UK. How we are expected to deal with the demands this will place upon the service, in addition to the increasing property crime rates with fewer officers per head of the population, is beyond me. My real fear is that the level of service and protection we will be able to afford the public will be severely affected unless action to address this is taken now.”

 

ENDS

 

click here to download the Federation report in pdf format

click here to download this press release in pdf format