Humberside Police urged not to axe police staff as part of plans to save £5m
Humberside Police is being urged to reconsider plans to axe the jobs of dozens of police staff as part of plans to save £5 million.
Trade union Unison said 32 civilian officers had been put at risk, including staff working in domestic abuse teams, as well as 12 investigating officers and three licencing officers.
The union says it has been told the workload of staff, many of whom had been working for the force for more than a decade, would be transferred to officers.
Unison said it understood Humberside Police intends to recruit more officers to the force.
To save money, the union said the force is also intending on having no police community support officers working beyond 8pm.
Yorkshire and Humberside regional lead for police Natalie Ratcliffe said: “These highly skilled and experienced police staff face losing their livelihoods. That's not because their work has disappeared, but because the force has decided it should be carried out by someone else.
“These changes will inevitably result in fewer police officers on the streets of Hull, East Yorkshire, North and North East Lincolnshire.”
Chief Constable Chris Todd said the changes were “essential for the future of the force”. Mr Todd said the force has to make savings of £5m and they were examining all aspects of the organisation to make sure it is as effective and efficient as possible.
Some “potential workforce reductions” had been identified.
Formal consultation began in August, he said, adding: “It isn’t as simple as the force deciding the roles should be carried out by someone else; these are very difficult decisions for us to make.
"We recognise the impact they will have on colleagues, but they are essential for the future of Humberside Police.”
In May the portion of council tax paid to the police rose 6.3 per cent, meaning Band D households are paying £313.66, up from £295.17, up £18.49.
The reason given for the rise above the government cap was to try and maintain “existing frontline policing numbers, ensure financial sustainability and secure a reasonable minimum level of reserves over the medium-term".
The additional income was expected to generate a further £5.5m towards police funding.
But the police and crime panel was told despite the increase, the force will still have to find money and make savings. The total budget stands at £278.675m, up £23m.