UK Police service to lose 100,000 officers

More than 10,000 police officers in England and Wales are to be cut over the next two years according to figures obtained by the Labour Party.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the job losses showed the “shocking and brutal reality” of the Government’s spending cuts.

The spending review set police budget cuts at 20 per cent by 2014-15..

Ms Cooper was quoted in various reports saying: “These figures show the shocking and brutal reality of the 20 per cent police cuts.

“Far from protecting frontline policing as ministers promised, over 10,000 police officers are being cut in the next few years alone.

“That’s 10,000 fewer police officers fighting crime, solving serious cases, or keeping our country safe.

“Cutting so fast and so deep into police budgets is crazy. It is completely out of touch with communities across the country who want to keep bobbies on the beat,” said Ms Cooper.

“How do they think it helps the fight against crime to force so many experienced police officers onto their pensions or trained police community support officers onto the dole, leaving the rest of the force overstretched as a result?”

The Government has said it aims to avoid any reduction in the visibility and availability of police on the streets.

It has said what matters is not the total size of the police workforce but the efficiency and effectiveness of its deployment.

Source: ITN