COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

Redundancy talks are underway



Jobs will be cut at Warwickshire Police Force as it battles to save cash.

Police Staff Investigator (PSI) posts are to go throughout the force, with redundancy packages now being drawn-up.

Many PSIs are seasoned, ex-detectives and play vital roles in CID and proactive teams within the force.

A whistleblower, who did not want to be named, emailed Coventry Live to say that the redundancies will have a huge impact on the force.

The number of jobs to go is believed to be around 80.

Warwickshire Police has confirmed that 'regrettably' there will be a reduction of police staff posts, but did not give a figure on how many.

The force has said that an operational policing model shake-up has forced it to look at the balance of officers and staff working across some of its teams.

But the whistleblower fears the loss of experience will be telling.

"PSI’s have worked for the force for years and staff feel very let down by chief officers," the email states.

"This is going to leave lots of work for officers who are already struggling with demands, the force have made a major mistake and are trying to keep it all quiet."

Union dismay at 'disrespectful' police force job cuts

Union bosses have branded Warwickshire Police's plans to cut staff posts are 'disrespectful'.

Unison, the trade union representing members of Warwickshire Police Staff, has reacted to the news revealed by CoventryLive that the force is seeking to make redundancies.

The job cuts will include a number of Police Staff Investigator (PSI) posts, which are roles often taken up by seasoned, ex-detectives to work alongside CID and other teams within the force.

Unison has said that police staff make up a crucial part of the police family, carrying out tasks that do not require police officer’s powers, which in turn frees up officers to go out onto the streets of Warwickshire.

In a statement, the union said that the decision to make a number of civilian staff roles redundant and to replace them with police officers is 'expensive and unnecessary and disrespectful' of the many years of commitment that members of staff have given to the force.

It says that the force's plans to to back-fill redundant police staff roles with the new police officers recruited under the government’s flagship 20,000 Police Officer Uplift, means they will not be on the streets - instead sat behind desks.

Charlie Sarell , Union regional organiser, said: “Around 125 posts have been redesignated as Police Officer posts, which were previously carried out by members of Police Staff.

"Police staff can do these roles and so free up police officers to get out on the streets, where the public can see them and be reassured by their presence. The decision to put these Police Officers into offices and to make the staff redundant is more expensive and a questionable use of public money.”

Other police staff at risk of redundancy are Domestic Abuse Risk Officers and Intelligence Officers.