Private security firm to replace West Midlands police...

This is a copy of a letter that I sent today to our local paper:

"Our Chief Constable was very bullish in his letter to your paper in claiming that his force would be able to carry out their full duties after the forthcoming cuts, but would have to "prioritise". One can be pardoned for wondering what "prioritised" actually means.

As an example, in recent years the police have had increasing success in catching and prosecuting animal abusers (killers of protected birds, especially birds of prey; egg collectors, dog fighters and badger baiters, to name a few). Where will these cases fit into the "priorities"? Low down, I should think, so are we now to witness our wildlife decline and cruelty to animals to get far worse again?

What will have the higher "priority" - mugging of an old lady, or theft of some antiques from a wealthy landowner? Rape or speeding? With the election of a Police and Crime Commissioner, will "priorities" be based on addressing what wins votes, or public need? That which needs large resources, or the easiest targets?

The pretence by right-wing politicians that more can always be done with less is disingenuous, to say the least. It is patently obvious that there is only so much workload that each person can cope with, and something will have to go if police numbers are reduced as we are told they will be. The election of PCCs effectively politicises the police. Put the two things together, and the prospect is hardly attractive, especially as crime is rising before police numbers are cut. The value of our public services has many forms and impacts, but where the police are concerned, is clearly ignored, unlike pure monetary cost. I, for one, fear that that is a serious mistake. "

Need I say more?

Good for you Spuffler

Latest development:

MPs condemn West Midlands Police plan to privatise services

A POWERFUL House of Commons committee has blasted West Midlands Police over plans to bring in private sector partners, saying: “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

The Commons Home Affairs Committee urged the Home Office to intervene in plans to bring in businesses such as security firms, which have been condemned as “privatisation” by critics.

In a report published today, MPs said: “The committee is not convinced that Surrey and West Midlands Police fully understand, or are fully able to articulate, the process they are undertaking.”

Trade unions and Labour MPs have led opposition to the plans but the Home Affairs Committee, which includes MPs David Winnick (Lab Walsall North), speaks on behalf of the Commons as a whole and a majority of members come from the governing Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties.

It follows a hearing in March when Chris Sims, the Chief Constable of West Midlands, and Lynne Owens, the Chief Constable of Surrey, which is also involved in the plans, gave evidence to the committee.

They insisted there was no possibility of private firms taking over frontline duties traditionally carried out by police officers, such as patrolling the streets or making arrests. But they appeared to struggle when MPs asked them what would actually be included.

Thanks dutchman! And guess what? They published it at the top of the letters column, with a banner headline!!

One of our local town councillors stood for election in May as an independent after previously supporting the Conservatives. He won with 73% of the vote!! He has not only pledged to try to stop some of the undemocratic practices (decisions taken privately by little cabals behind closed doors, without consideration of public opinion, or having any public consultation) but he is also starting a set of meetings designed to help other independents to fight the party-based councillors. And the very best of luck to him say I !!

New policing minister backs more privatisation on visit to Coventry



THE new policing minister backed more privatisation and refused to rule out widespread compulsory redundancy of officers during a visit to Coventry.

Conservative Damian Green told the Telegraph that more outsourcing to businesses including security firms such as G4S made sense.

He would not be drawn over a controversial call to give forces the power to fire officers of all ranks.

Both measures are opposed by Coventry and Warwickshire officers’ representatives the Police Federation, who are also at loggerheads with ministers over proposed changes to pay and conditions, and 20 per cent government funding cuts.

Mr Green met officers at Little Park Street police station, Coventry city centre, ahead of a speech yesterday to a superintendents’ conference at the Chesford Grange Hotel, near Kenilworth.

His comments come shortly after Surrey pulled out of joint plans with West Midlands police to develop widescale plans to outsource police work to private firms.

Surrey eventually pulled out after G4S’s disastrous handling of Olympics security.

But West Midlands chiefs are continuing to develop proposals to put before the force’s first police and crime commissioner (PCC), who will take over after November 15 elections.

Mr Green - moved from immigration minister in PM David Cameron’s reshuffle - said he would not object to any future arrangement between West Midlands police and G4S.

He said: “That’s not for us to decide. It’s very clearly for the chief constable to decide, and he will be accountable to the newly elected PCC.

“In principle, it seems to me entirely sensible for police forces to say, ‘This is our essential job’, while there are a lot of functions which maybe could be done better by someone else.

"There’s nothing new in this...It’s releasing police to do their proper job.”

Mr Green said Coventry officers showed him new technology - developed in partnership with businesses - which “saved time and money” by enabling fingerprints to be scanned via a police mobile phone and identified against a national database within minutes.

He added: “That’s a good example of how, even in times of financial stringency, creative police forces can find ways of making themselves more effective.”

A proposal included in a controversial Winsor review – opposed by Coventry and Warwickshire police representatives – to enable chiefs to make officers across ranks compulsorily redundant was backed at the conference by Met Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe.

He said it would allow cuts to be spread more efficiently among officers and civilian back-office staff.

Mr Green said: It’s a question for each individual chief constable. It’s precisely because we’re setting up a democratic structure where chief constables are accountable to local PCCs that it won’t be for the policing minister to comment on individual force dispositions.”

He pledged to be a “candid friend” to police while “not agreeing on everything” without “huge pots of money”.

Mark my words, there will be tears before bedtime.