Police cut back on horse power

On the streets of Essex, police horses and motorbikes are to be a thing of the past.

They are set to be axed as part of £7.1m cuts forced on Essex Police by the Government.

The bobby on the beat is safe, they say, for now. But the vision of private security guards taking up the slack and complementing frontline services may not be far away.

Next year a further £6m savings are on the cards. What will be next?

Emphasis is being put on maintaining standards, improving efficiency, cracking crime and improving people's quality of life.

The Crime and Disorder Act seeks to get the whole community working together - primarily by police teaming up with local authorities.

This means more planning, more workload, more meetings and glossy brochures to tell the public what it is all about.

Yet, so far the Government has not given any more money for this. Instead Essex County Council and Essex Police have had to delve into their own budgets to help formulate the partnership.

The dilemma is clear. Law and order will always be a political hot potato and always high on the list of the public's concerns. But there are more high profile priorities.

Hospital waiting lists, nurses pay, class sizes, school standards: these are the issues more often trumpeted by ministers.

Health and education are - in Blair's Britain - what matter most. Into these areas the Government has very publicly poured billions of extra cash.

At the same time police forces across the country are being asked to rein in the purse strings.

On the face of it, that is not too bad. All organisations can shave off a little here and there to become more economical, and the public generally expects value for money and good housekeeping.

What Essex Police faces is more than this. They have succeeded in making two per cent efficiency savings for next year. But they have to repeat this for a further two years.

It took months of agonising, whittling down and re-evaluating before the £7.1m savings were drawn up. About 135 police officer posts are to be replaced by civilians, who are cheaper, and the officers deployed elsewhere.

No officers will be sacked or made redundant, that pledge is often repeated. But next year what is there left to cut?

Training could be looked at - but what is the use of having an officer who is not fully trained? The police dog unit may be re-evaluated and traffic police may be further slimmed down.

Standard issue uniform could be replaced less often, that again would save a bit.

What about the smaller police stations, will they be around forever? All areas have already been looked at by the accountants and chief officers.

No matter how many times politicians and police say that frontline services will not be affected, they must know in the back of their minds, that in the next millennium there may be no choice.

County councillor Anthony Peel (Con, Tiptree), chairman of Essex Police Authority, said: "Policing will be very interesting in the next five years. It is also going to be very difficult.

"Quite frankly I can't see how we are going to do it next year."

He, personally, is not worried if the areas earmarked cause a public outcry.

People like police horses and dogs and will be sad to see them go. But he is more concerned with efficiency than causing controversy.

Obviously the Government has to be asked to think again and find more money.

This is already being done. Mr Peel is also vice-chairman of the Association of Police Authorities, a national body which brings the nation's local police authorities together with one voice.

This more weighty organisation has been lobbying the Government for time.

It remains to be seen if they come up with the goods.

(Right) A visit to see the police horses is a popular trip out for many families

On yer bike - police motorcyclists face the axe

Pictures: MAXINE CLARKE

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.