Derbyshire's police aiming to recruit 180 new officers
UP to 180 new police officers could be recruited over the next three years if Derbyshire's police authority agrees to budget recommendations.
If approved, it would mean council-tax payers in the average band D property would be charged an extra £6.54 per year.
-
Mick Creedon
Mick Creedon, Derbyshire's Chief Constable, has recommended the authority agrees a 3.99% police precept increase from April.
In the authority's papers he says by voting in this proposal "police officer recruitment (can) recommence at a rate of 60 per annum".
He added that by agreeing to the 3.99% increase, an additional 11 police staff roles would be created to join a specialist task force focused on the highest priority risks.
The budget, which members will discuss at a meeting on Thursday, includes an option to fund a further 15 police community support officers.
In the papers, Mr Creedon says: "The prime focus of this budget must be on beginning to recruit police officers to maintain our numbers at around current levels of 1,900.
"This will mean the recruitment of 60 officers per annum for the next three years."
Austerity cuts imposed by the Government mean that Derbyshire police must make £24 million in cuts by 2015.
It is already ahead of schedule, having saved £21 million.
This has been achieved through a number of measures and has seen the retirement of more officers than anticipated.
Last month, the force announced it was to close a number of inquiry offices across the county, including one in Belper, to further cut costs.
The Chief Constable's recommendations were welcomed by Paul Pegg, chairman of Mackworth Estate Residents' Association.
He said: "I think seeing new officers on the beat shows good value for money and I don't think many people will moan about seeing new bobbies being recruited for £6.54 a year more on their council tax.
"To me and, I think, many people, community policing is the way forward and residents seeing more of a visible presence on the streets of the county can only be a good thing."
11 Comments
View all
by Mastercompose
Sunday, February 19 2012, 8:10PM
“Is it a trait of Derbyshire bloggers that they argue semantics or what.
This is great news with the increases seen in frauds murders rapes at least the police have got on with increasing their number to fight crime.”
by Rogue_Trooper
Sunday, February 19 2012, 1:25AM
“@Hoosen_Fenger,
Your mate clearly does not know what he/she is talking about.
Try reading the article again and you will see that the police are planning to recruit 180 POLICE OFFICERS in the next 3 years and 15 PCSOs.
These are all, paid officers, NOT volunteers, ok?
So, basically, the police are wanting to put MORE officers on the street. Ok?
Special Constables are a seperate issue and not discussed in this article.”
by Hoosen_Fenger
Saturday, February 18 2012, 8:29PM
“Hello Hotlush....
I was just trying to make a point that with all the cut backs taking place within the Police, replacing them with anything other than like for like officers would be at a detriment to the community.... My mate says quite a lot about various aspects of the force and ok, he might be giving me just his view....
That said, I did not know that Special Constables have been going for that length of time.... Thanks for enlightening me.... I will have to spend some time Googling now to get up to speed... :-)”
by Hotlush
Saturday, February 18 2012, 8:14PM
“@Hoosen_Fenger; Missed the last bit of your post, Special Constables aren't new. They've been going over 175 years, longer than any Police Force has been in existence.”
by Hotlush
Saturday, February 18 2012, 8:12PM
“@Hoosen_Fenger; If your friend works for the Police I would hope he would know the difference between a PCSO and a Special Constable. Given they think PCSOs are volunteers it's just as obvious he wouldn't have a clue what either one does, or can do.”
by Hoosen_Fenger
Saturday, February 18 2012, 8:03PM
“Hello Rogue_Trooper....
My mate works for Nottinghamshire Police and he says that PCSO's are mainly volunteers.... In my limited knowledge, it may be that some of them are paid and I am perhaps doing a dis-service to them.....
However, when you read that due to cut backs the Police removed thousands of front line officers across the UK, but now there are these 'other' officers appearing to take their place, do you not kind of get where I was coming from?”
by Rogue_Trooper
Saturday, February 18 2012, 7:32PM
“@ Hoosen_Fenger,
How can you not know what a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) is?! Do you live in a bubble?
They are paid and are not volunteers. They are like police officers but with more of a community role (hence the name) and less powers.”
by omrlp
Saturday, February 18 2012, 7:21PM
“Evening all..
Maybe another design for helmets might help,my 9 year old daughter that i took to Disney land came up the with the Mouseketeers helmet for the metropolitan police..She reckons through her eyes,the police look less threatening and better than a mash makes smash potato head constable and should Arm all the Police with legs.. Adult language,The council and the police department are still a Micky mouse operation until they need to hire somebody whos goofy..
From Pastures...(claiming political asylum)
Commodore Lord Whopping Foghole...and Air Marshall Coney Hatch...”
by Hoosen_Fenger
Saturday, February 18 2012, 2:08PM
“Community Officers? I take it this means unpaid? If so, then this is scandalous. Replacing paid police officers with unpaid volunteers is going to lead to lower quality of policing.... For that, we should have a rebate on our council tax.”
by janine2011
Saturday, February 18 2012, 12:51PM
“If it puts more police on the streets to keep people safe when going about their daily lives and in the parks to keep our children safe to play football or ride their bikes without being beaten or mugged bring it on.”