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| Police 'need humans, not horses' | Police 'need humans, not horses' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A leading member of the North Wales Police Authority says the force needs to spend money on staff rather than using scarce resources for horses. | A leading member of the North Wales Police Authority says the force needs to spend money on staff rather than using scarce resources for horses. |
| Eifion Jones made his remarks before a meeting between chief constable Richard Brunstrom and north Wales Labour MPs. | |
| Last month, Mr Brunstrom, who has said he would like the force to have a mounted section, was criticised by MPs. | |
| The force said it could not respond to Mr Jones' comments without knowing what was fully said. | |
| Next week the authority will discuss the establishment of a mounted section. | Next week the authority will discuss the establishment of a mounted section. |
| Mr Jones told BBC Wales: "A decision hasn't been taken on that. My personal view is that we should invest more in human resources rather than horses. | Mr Jones told BBC Wales: "A decision hasn't been taken on that. My personal view is that we should invest more in human resources rather than horses. |
| "There may well be merits in the mounted force but perhaps the chief constable should be looking for collaboration across the borders with Merseyside, for example." | |
| Mr Brunstrom has claimed funding is 'skewed towards big cities' | Mr Brunstrom has claimed funding is 'skewed towards big cities' |
| Police figures show the section would cost over £190,000 to set up, with annual running costs of £93,000. | |
| In a recent interview with the BBC, Mr Brunstrom said the Home Office's funding formula favoured urban forces and penalised rural areas. | In a recent interview with the BBC, Mr Brunstrom said the Home Office's funding formula favoured urban forces and penalised rural areas. |
| He claimed 120 job losses among backroom staff planned for next March was down to a £2m cut in funding this year and a £3m cut next year. | He claimed 120 job losses among backroom staff planned for next March was down to a £2m cut in funding this year and a £3m cut next year. |
| MPs want to know whether or not the problem is one of cash shortage or whether Mr Brunstrom's projects, such as the proposed mounted section, are a factor. | MPs want to know whether or not the problem is one of cash shortage or whether Mr Brunstrom's projects, such as the proposed mounted section, are a factor. |
| Mr Jones said: "We must look over the next few weeks over every expenditure that we have in some detail and make sure that we are getting value for money. | Mr Jones said: "We must look over the next few weeks over every expenditure that we have in some detail and make sure that we are getting value for money. |
| "The first priority I believe is for community policing and keeping the staff numbers and the officer numbers that we have, if we can. | "The first priority I believe is for community policing and keeping the staff numbers and the officer numbers that we have, if we can. |
| "Any sort of trivial pursuits that we have, and I don't believe we have many, should go by the wayside." | "Any sort of trivial pursuits that we have, and I don't believe we have many, should go by the wayside." |
| The force said it would be inappropriate to comment on Mr Jones' remarks without knowing their full context or content. | |
| It said there would be an opportunity for these matters to be discussed at the police authority next week, and the force continued to do all it could "to make north Wales an even safer place to live, work and visit," it added. |