Cuts have hit police service, says Federation chair

10 February 2020

Hertfordshire Police Federation chair Geoff Bardell says warnings of the consequences of budget cuts are coming to fruition after the latest findings by the police watchdog.

The Diverging Under Pressure report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) concluded there were ‘stark differences’ in the investigation a victim of crime will receive depending on their force area.

The report’s author, HMIC inspector Matt Parr, said victims have given up reporting some crimes because the police do not have the capacity to investigate with the public losing faith in the criminal justice system because the chances of offenders being brought to justice are so slim, with a suspect being charged in just 7.8 per cent of recorded crimes last year in England and Wales, down from 9.1 per cent the year before.

He explained: “The number of crimes recorded by police has risen, the complexity of many crimes is increasing, and there are fewer officers and staff to investigate.”

Geoff said: “We have long warned that devastating cuts to police budgets will lead to an impact on the public. Crime figures are rising but we have had fewer officers to not only investigate but to prevent incidents in the first place and to provide reassurance to the public. All of these factors are leading people to begin to lose faith in our criminal justice system, which is devastating to hear.

“It has been widely reported that Mr Parr feels the public have ‘rumbled’ the fact that forces capacity to deal with volume crimes is limited but I would argue the public is also aware that Government under-funding of policing is to blame.

“We need a programme of sustained investment in our police service to ensure that we maintain and, in some cases, regain public confidence.”

National chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales John Apter has also commented on the report.

He said: “The harsh reality is that policing can no longer do all the things it once could, with some local forces struggling to respond to 999 calls in a timely manner.

“Police officers didn’t join policing to give a bad service but the system is broken and forces are having to make some incredibly difficult operational decisions on which crimes to prioritise.”

He added: “The public would be horrified if they realised just how few officers there are in their local areas to respond to incidents. It’s essential we have the confidence of the public and I understand the frustration of victims, but it is as equally as frustrating for police officers. It is soul-destroying.

“No police officer is happy with this situation; and some of those crimes which are defined as ‘minor’ are the ones which can be the most impactive on the victim.

“The Government’s recruitment drive will help but it is not a panacea, as Mr Parr points out in his report, and we need a more cohesive criminal justice system, better IT and stronger infrastructure.

“What the service so desperately needs is a long-term funding deal to enable all forces to return to a position where they are properly funded to handle the challenges they face. Our police and public deserve so much better.”