Crime increases as police numbers decrease

Some 34,000 police jobs will be axed across England and Wales by 2015, prompting fears crime could rise by up to three per cent, according to the findings of an investigation by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).

About 16,200 warranted officers, as many as 1,800 community support officers and 16,100 civilian staff are to disappear as forces try to overcome unprecedented cuts in funding.

HMIC said police forces would see their gross revenue spending fall by 14 per cent on average over the next four years but three of Yorkshire’s constabularies will have to dig even deeper. The region’s largest force, West Yorkshire Police, must save more than £90m, equivalent to 15 per cent of its gross revenue expenditure.

Neighbouring forces Humberside (15 per cent) and North Yorkshire (17 per cent) must also contend with harsher cuts than the national average, with budget shortfalls of £32.4m and £28.4m respectively.

South Yorkshire Police must save almost £41m, equivalent to 13 per cent of its gross revenue expenditure.

Inspectors found that the nine forces facing the least impact are all based either in southern England or Wales.

HMIC also published research from academics suggesting that a 10 per cent cut in officer numbers would lead to a three per cent increase in crime.

If such an effect were seen in Yorkshire, the number of crimes recorded annually in the region would rise from almost 411,000 to more than 423,000.

Home Office statistics published yesterday reveal that more than 4,600 officer posts were axed last year, including 419 from Yorkshire forces – 3.4 per cent of the region’s warranted workforce.

More than half of the region’s officers to leave were employed by West Yorkshire, which saw its officer strength decline from 5,758 to 5,536. Humberside Police lost 105 officers – more than five per cent – while South Yorkshire and North Yorkshire lost 64 and 27 respectively.

Shadow Home Secretary and Pontefract MP Yvette Cooper said the figures were “even worse than we previously feared” and the Government had put chief constables “in an impossible position”.

“Cutting 16,200 police officers, including 2,500 frontline officers by next year alone, is an irresponsible gamble with crime and public safety,” she added.

“Already we have lost 4,650 officers since spring 2010. These have included specialist firearms officers, experienced officers who have cut crime in their communities, and even officers who recently won national bravery awards.

“The Home Secretary has said the cuts don’t need to affect the number of officers or frontline services, but the independent inspectorate’s report shows that is wrong.

“Many forces have no choice but to cut frontline officers because of the scale and pace of the Government cuts.”

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the HMIC report made it “very clear there are a whole load of things you can do in terms of savings on bureaucracy, on backroom functions to make sure you keep as many police officers out on the streets where people want to see them”.

He added: “There are far, far too many police officers who are filling in forms or tied down to their desks when they are not out in the community where they belong.”

Chief Constable Chris Sims, of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: “Chiefs understand the policing sector cannot be immune from cuts taking place across the public sector.

“To be successful in preserving our service to the public we need the freedom to challenge the way we operate and, rather than crude numbers, focus on outcomes that keep people safe.”

Police Federation chairman Paul McKeever said police would struggle “to keep their heads above water as they try to deal with increasing demands and diminishing resources”.