Warwickshire policing changes approved

[dutchman]

Jobs are to go at Warwickshire Police as the force tries to make £13.4m of savings by 2014.



Two levels of senior management are to go, but the force said any impact on staff had not yet been determined.

However it warned that "an overall reduction in the size of the workforce will occur".

A new shift system is to be introduced in which officers and staff would change to an eight-hour pattern from the current 12.

Chief Constable Keith Bristow said he was "confident" the changes, agreed on Wednesday at a Police Authority meeting, can deliver £13.4m of savings while minimising the risk of impact on public protection.

The new shift pattern will be cheaper to operate, the police force said.

Chief Constable Bristow said: "We will do all we can to minimise costs in every area of policing to retain the services of the most officers and police staff possible, but it is inevitable that the overall size of our workforce will reduce in the years ahead."

Among the changes agreed by the authority are a reduction in force directorates from four to two and a reduction in senior leaders from nine to seven.

A new force wide team will be created to carry out patrols and responses to calls for assistance rather than than having them at a more local level.

There will also be reductions in building programmes and the police authority is to operate at a reduced cost.