Crumbling Pounds and Empty Pandas!

The Vauxhall Astra is popular with various Bri... — Image via Wikipedia

Another World Wildlife Fund campaign? No, but a very important campaign all the same… What happens when we make police officers redundant?

British police officers are not ’employees’ per se, they are classified as Crown Servants. Consequently and thankfully, unlike other countries and under current UK employment law, it isn’t possible to make our officers redundant. At least not at present however, who knows what future legislation will be implemented and deliver?

When the police are sent home: Budget cuts are leaving thousands of law enforcement officers in Western nations without jobs. How will this impact the lives of average citizens? (Read more)

The above post actually came from an American website entitled ‘The Real Truth‘ and, although a religious site and arm of The Restored Church of God, any religious connotation isn’t applicable here.

What the post does highlight however is; the policing issues facing many administrations and hard-hitting consequences being felt by communities around the western world. Negative impacts resulting from governmental austerity measures. Make no bones about it, similar situations to those highlighted in the post, are coming to your town soon, assuming your not already experiencing them.

Parts of the UK are already suffering the after effects of mismanaged resources and, the implementation of government austerity measures by police chiefs are set to make things far worse. For some time now, the self-protecting police hierarchy proliferate (and their self-perpetuating administrative machine), have had a profound and negative impact upon the police service our communities actually receive. A factor further highlighted (on a regular basis) by Inspector Gadget…

Five Million Cats Can’t be wrong: Dealing with anyone of the rank of Chief Inspector or above these days is like turning up at an earthquake with a dustpan and brush. (Read more)

Many UK police chiefs have already explored the possibility of compulsory retirement i.e. enforced retirement as soon as the officer is entitled to his/her pension. This is irrespective of the individual officer’s age, ability or desire to continue serving. Many members of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) have lorded the proposal as a ‘massive money-saving initiative’.

Not strictly true, yes there is the possibility of savings in salary payments, that is obvious however, the greater savings are made at the higher ends of the rank structure. The regulations that alow chiefs to take this action are not actually applicable to them or their peers, unsurprisingly.

Unless the turkeys take the correct route, by addressing the over staffed top and back office heavy structure of British policing, we will see the custody pounds of our police stations crumble and panda cars will be devoid of police officers!