Police Reforms And Budgetary Restraints

Slide 1

Police Reforms And Budgetary Restraints

The effect of House Of Commons Debate on the Reform of the Policing System in England and Wales

Slide 2

The need of police reforms in England and wales

It has been seen from various reports that the police has been working with satisfactory measures and dealing with their ongoing challenges. Police force, being a high valued public service, has showed with a positive approach from the public of England and Wales. More than 61% of the people surveyed have responded with positive approach towards the current service of the police in England and Wales. According to the research of the Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), the police service shows a constant growth and efficiency in service.

However, there have been growing concerns regarding the efficiency of the police force in meeting with the new crimes and violence across England and Wales and as has been stated by the debates of the House of the Common’s, the budgetary cuts and restraints have a severe affect on the efficiency of police and thus, it needs consideration and suitable reforms as well.

Slide 3

The connection between budgetary restraints and efficiency of police service

The budget and the funding related to the police service in England and Wales have been left unaudited for a long time. While the digital crimes are increasing on a daily basis and to counter the same, the police force of England and Wales are in dire need of appropriate implements and modern gadgets. Along with this, the knife-crime, homicides and other crimes have increased considerably, if we take a comparable view of the statistics of 2015/2016 and 2019/2020.

However, in comparison to that, the funding for the police reform has only been increased by a slim margin of £2.1 Billion in cash terms which only accounts for 18% increment between the period of 2015/2016 and 2019/2020.

Slide 4

How budgetary restraints affect the efficiency of police service in dealing with public and crimes

Budgetary restraints automatically mean less recruitment of Police officers. If less police officers are recruited, it will make it harder for police deal with crimes efficiently.

Budgetary restraints have made the PCCs funding process a lot less transparent and the corruption has increased. Thus, the general public shall rely less on the police service.

Budgetary restraints directly affect the updating in the section of modern gadgets and other necessary elements required for a police force to work efficiently.

Slide 5

The 43 force structure

The Police service in England and Wales are divided in 43 territorial force structure. According to the Home Affairs Select Committee, The fragmentation structure of the police service not only stands as an obstacle to the current budget restraints but it also makes it difficult for the police force to deal with crime.

In the previous election, the government of Johnson committed to undertake the structure of the police service in England and Wales and critically analyse the ‘formal power, capabilities, governance and funding’. However, in 2019, the review was only promised and not taken into account and thus the slim budget margin crisis in Police Service only increased.

This delay has severely affected the police service in dealing with crimes and it has been reported that the public started relying on the police service less.

Slide 6

The recruitment of police officers

The recruitment of Police officer was increased rapidly from 2003 to 2010. However, after the year of 2010, the recruitment of Police Officer across England and Wales has decreased abnormally. The decline has been so alarming that, in the current year of 2020, the total strength of Police Officers across England and Wales faced a reduction of 3% from the counts of 2003 and huge decline of 12.2% from the year of 2010.

The reduction in the strength of police officers have a direct link with the budgetary restraints and the less consideration paid by the Government since long in this matter.

Slide 7

The funding system

The Police service funding system is set for a five years periodic review system.

The police funding system in England and Wales is also adjusted annually, keeping in mind the necessity, apart from the five year periodic review system.

The funding to forces linkage has been established through the 40 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC)

The funding is granted by the Central Government and it is made available for the police service through ‘Home Office Police Grant Report’.

Slide 8

Steps taken previously to resolve the budgetary issues in police service

In July, 2015 issued a consultation on how the Police Service of England and Wales is funded by the Central Government and the same has been followed up by an elaborate Home Office Review which extended till 2016.

The Home Office Review was rejected due to grave errors found in various information shared by the PCCs.

Again in September, 2016, the same review took pace after collective efforts given by the PCCs. After a year long review, the same was also rejected based on arbitrary reasons.

The police review rescheduled for the year of 2018. However, the same has not been completed and it was rescheduled again in 2020.

Slide 9

The steps taken by the government for the police funding in the year of 2020-2021

Under section 46(2) of the Police Act, 1996, a grant of £13.1 Billion has been approved. This is considered to be the biggest funding settlement since 2010.

£700M has been included in the funding for the purpose of recruitment of additional 6,000 officers by March of 2021.

The Government has positively approached the idea of recruiting over 20,000 more additional officers in the span of next three years and by end of 2023.

Slide 10

The future of police funding and efficiency of police service

The recent grant shall brighten the prospect of police service.

The additional recruitment shall help in dealing with crimes in better way.

It can be assumed, over the span of next 3 years, the public approach towards police service shall be changed to a more positive approach.

As has been suggested and promised by the Government in 2020-2021, the future of police funding is bright. The additional recruitment of the Police Officers will do wonders for the people of England and Wales and it shall provide a great assistance in dealing with several hate crimes, Knife-crimes, digital crimes and homicides. Over the span of next three years, England and Wales can look for substantial reduction in the crime rate if the budgetary restraints is lifted with recruitment of more and more officers.

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REFERENCES

BMG Research; Research Report Public Perceptions of Policing in England and Wales 2018, (2019)

House of Commons Library; Policing in the UK, (2021) < https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8582/ > accessed on 12th May, 2021

House of Commons Library; Jennifer Brown & Graham Allen; Policing and crime Opposition Day Debate, (2020), p.6

House of Commons Library; Sarah Pepin; Police Funding in UK (2018)

House of Commons Library; How our local police forces are funded (2021) < https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/how-our-local-police-forces-are-funded/ > accessed on 12th May, 2021

BBC News; Reality Check – Is the Police Funding failing? (2018) < https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-43699623 > accessed on 12th may, 2021

House of Commons Library; Policing in the UK (2021) < https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8582/ > accessed on 12th May, 2021

HMICFRS; Public perceptions of policing in England and Wales 2018 (2019), < https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/publications/public-perceptions-of-policing-in-england-and-wales-2018/ > accessed on 12th May, 2021

House of Commons Library; Sarah Pepin; Police Funding (2018)

House of Commons Home Affairs Committee; Reform of the Police Funding Formula, Fourth Report of Session 2015–16

House of Commons Library; Police Funding 2020/21, Statement made on 22 January 2020