Plans for more beat bobbies put on hold
Predicted cuts in Government funding have meant plans to introduce as many as 80 new frontline police officer jobs in Northamptonshire are now unaffordable.
In its annual budget report, Northamptonshire Police Authority has confirmed that proposals drawn up 12 months ago to increase officer numbers by 2012 will not go ahead, and instead no new frontline roles will be created during the next two years.
The authority's treasurer, Rosemary Yule, said the force would have to "consolidate" frontline policing posts instead of increasing them.
She said: "In 2009-10 the force invested 1 million in 40 additional frontline officer posts to meet the growing population and service demand across the county.
"Our medium-term plan also included an aspiration to invest an equal amount in 2010-11 and 2011-12 budgets. This has now been reappraised as a result of three factors.
"Public expenditure and our formula grant income is likely to be severely curtailed from 2011-12 onwards, population and housing growth in the county, which was driving the assessment of officer posts, has slowed from previous years, and council tax capping has tightened, further restricting our opportunity to fund growth."
She added streamlining in other departments would help the force bring officers back to the beat in the county, and said: "The key feature of this budget is therefore a consolidation of existing police officer numbers while seeking to drive out efficiencies, which return officers to the frontline."
The budget sets out plans for "more efficient working", which would lead to 20 officers being brought back to policing the streets of the county.
The budget has been drawn up under Operation I Can - Improving Confidence and Affordability in Northamptonshire, launched to help evaluate the structure of the force while it faces "serious financial pressures".
Areas of the force identified for cuts during the next 12 months include human resources, corporate communications and the criminal justice department.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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