Top brass braced for toughest challenge

After inspectors rated Humberside one of the worst forces in the country five years ago, senior officers focused on increasing detection rates, improving facilities and opening local centres.

Two years ago, the force began its Choices programme, a top-to-bottom review of everything it does, after being told by its governing authority to balance its budget within five years.

Now, with that still in progress, Humberside must contend with a 20 per cent real-terms cut in funding over the next four years, compounded by cuts in spending for councils, courts and the Probation Service.

But Chief Constable Tim Hollis is trying to remain positive, arguing that, after all the introspection, few forces have a better understanding of what they do and how much it costs.

“It’s provided us with a sound platform on which to make well informed changes which will seek to minimise the impact of budget cuts on operational policing,” he said.

“But let’s be absolutely clear, our capacity to deliver that will be reduced over the next four years. We just have to get even better at punching above our weight.”

The force has stopped recruiting officers and introduced voluntary redundancy schemes.

“A report (by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary) suggested that the police service could take a 12 per cent budget reduction without impacting on front-line policing,” he said.

“We are being required to manage budget reductions of 20 per cent over the next four years. Some 82 per cent of my budget goes on staffing. You can draw your own conclusions.”

The Choices programme is on course to identify cash savings totalling £15m, through moves like scrapping pay for special constables and reducing the number of chief superintendent posts.

The force now shares an HR director with South Yorkshire Police to save money, but Mr Hollis said more difficult decisions were on the way.