Shoppers say where police axe should fall
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By Gemma Constable
gconstable@thekmgroup.co.uk
Axing "back office" police and civilian staff is where most
people would make savings if they were holding the purse
strings.
Police watchdog, the Kent Police Authority (KPA), asked shoppers
at Asda in Mill Way, Sittingbourne, where they would save
money.
Back office posts were considered the main area for potential
savings.
This was broken down into two categories - police officers in
desk-based functions such as crime prevention roles at police
headquarters and civilian staff such as finance, human resources,
research and corporate communications roles.
The KPA will have to find more than £53 million of cuts in the
next four years.
Authority member Tom Gates attended the roadshow - one of
several across the county this summer - along with PCSO Miriam
Gardener.
Ann Barnes, KPA chairman, said: "Our countywide roadshows allow
us to speak face-to-face with the public on saving money.
"It's not just the police, but all public sector services are
going to have to make financial cuts of some kind. There are some
really hard choices to make and we are looking at all the
categories.
"It's interesting to note that some people did not cast a vote.
It really is hard to cut back on any one area of policing, as they
are all so important.
"The authority and force will have to make a tough decision in
the autumn, we are expecting to lose 20 to 40 per cent of our
government police budget."
This year's total budget for Kent Police, including money raised
from council tax, was £285m.
All the information from the roadshows will be fed back to the
chief constable, and will be considered at a KPA budget meeting in
early 2011.
To vote online visit www.kentpoliceauthority.gov.uk or visit the
dedicated Facebook page called Where would you make savings in Kent
Police.
Thursday, September 02 2010
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