Current Issues - 2003

December 2003

Policing Promises - PoliceBeat Editorial

Now that the election is over the Federation might be forgiven for asking just what have some politicians got against the Full- Time Reserve? True, the Patten Report recommended that the Full-Time Reserve should be phased out but the eagerness with which this ungracious recommendation is promoted in some quarters, shows a complete lack of appreciation of policing at ground level.

In the various parties' election manifestos, undeliverable promises were made about policing and indeed some shameful and insulting advertising claims were made by one party in particular which went down badly within this force and, we suspect, with both Sir Ronnie Flanagan and the present Chief Constable, Hugh Orde.

However, it is a specific manifesto promise that certain political parties will "deliver more police officers on patrol, faster response times and better clear up rates for crime" which will have no foundation if they continue to insist on the phasing out of the Full-Time Reserve by 2005.

Despite the excellent numbers of recruits, the Force is struggling to deliver public confidence in its performance. We also face a very live terrorist threat. It therefore makes no sense to dispense with the services of 1700 uniformed officers, who, in many areas, comprise 40 per cent of the frontline personnel. Yet many Fulltime Reservists are so unhappy about their future employment prospects within the Force that they are thinking of joining colleagues who have already gone to Iraq on private contracts.

We are regularly reminded that full implementation of Patten will take ten years. How much more sensible would it not be to recognise that the Full-Time Reserve would be completely ended by around 2010 through natural wastage? Why is there this misguided determination by the politicians to erode the effectiveness of law and order when there remains a significant terrorist and public order threat? These officers have much to contribute to public and policing confidence and should be supported rather than casually sacrificed for political advantage. With the election over this Federation is now free to engage with all constitutional parties on how the public's need for policing can be met. We have much to say.