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"British police can't withstand further cuts"

Armed British Transport Police officers

A new report says, some police forces in England and Wales may not be able to withstand further cuts.

The report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary said even efficient forces could approach a state of "uncertain sustainability".

It is not clear what would happen if a force became unsustainable. Some say merging with another force is one option.

Police forces have had to make substantial savings as part of public spending cuts over the past five years, and are bracing themselves for a further round.

 According to the HMIC forces were planning to reduce spending by 15% by 2018 and shed at least 12,000 posts - including those of 7,400 officers and 1,300 community support officers.

 “While some forces had achieved spending cuts during the last parliament without radical changes to the way they operated, that approach would be increasingly difficult to sustain,” the report warned.

 The report also said police needed to keep pace with the growing use of technology by criminals, but their computer systems were "generally weak and ageing" and lagged behind those used by the public.

 Now, London-based analyst Rodney Shakespeare says the budget cuts which the government is vehemently pressing ahead with are threatening the security of the country.

 

He also said the cuts once again show that the government is failing to understand the current situation. 

 

 


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