Police budgets could be cut again (From Gazette)

Police budgets could be cut again

9:19am Wednesday 31st October 2012 in News

POLICE officers in Essex will struggle to do their jobs if numbers are cut further, according to the Essex Police Federation.
 

But the force may have no choice if a second comprehensive spending review goes ahead.
 

The force is already planning to work with £42million less a year from 2014/15.
 

More than 1,000 staff, including hundreds of police officers, are being lost.
Stations have been closed, teams such as the Essex Police Mounted Unit axed and the way the force works restructured.
 

Even all those changes may not total £42million and now there are fears the chief constable and police and crime commissioner will have to find more.
Senior politicians and law enforcement analysts have warned there is little chance of an upturn in force budgets and instead they could be cut further.
 

See Thursday's Gazette for reaction.