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Police force faces officer cuts | Police force faces officer cuts |
(1 day later) | |
Scotland's smallest police force has said a reduction in its officer numbers is "likely" in order to cope with serious budget pressures. | Scotland's smallest police force has said a reduction in its officer numbers is "likely" in order to cope with serious budget pressures. |
Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary has already introduced a recruitment freeze in a bid to tackle the problem. | Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary has already introduced a recruitment freeze in a bid to tackle the problem. |
A report to councillors highlighted that the force's fuel expenditure alone has risen by £140,000 in the last year. | A report to councillors highlighted that the force's fuel expenditure alone has risen by £140,000 in the last year. |
It concluded that in practical terms the easiest way to "manage down" costs would be a reduction in staff numbers. | It concluded that in practical terms the easiest way to "manage down" costs would be a reduction in staff numbers. |
In his report, Chief Constable Pat Shearer said he was aware the move came against the background of Scottish Government efforts to fund more officers. | |
We do have significant budget pressures and the police themselves do have to take some action on this Cllr Ian BlakePolice committee chairman | |
However, he reiterated his commitment to meet budget targets and avoid an overspend at the end of the financial year. | However, he reiterated his commitment to meet budget targets and avoid an overspend at the end of the financial year. |
The report to the police committee stated: "The Chief Constable has already given elected members a commitment that he will not overspend against this year's budget. | |
"What this means in practical terms is that to manage down to the budget figure it is most likely that there will require to be a reduction in the number of officers. | "What this means in practical terms is that to manage down to the budget figure it is most likely that there will require to be a reduction in the number of officers. |
"In an attempt to reduce expenditure the force has already taken the decision that it will suspend recruitment of new officers for the foreseeable future." | "In an attempt to reduce expenditure the force has already taken the decision that it will suspend recruitment of new officers for the foreseeable future." |
Chairman of the police committee, Cllr Ian Blake, said he was "sorry to see it coming about". | |
Dumfries and Galloway Council will discuss the issue this week | |
"We do have significant budget pressures and the police themselves do have to take some action on this," he told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland. | |
"We will look at many ways to try to resolve this pressure." | |
However, he stressed that the situation was subject to change. | |
"There is a projected overspend of £439,000 for this coming financial year a great part of that has been caused by the fuel crisis," he said. | |
"It is a moving picture - we are looking at this every day and at ways to try and resolve the issue." | |
Labour's justice spokesman Richard Baker said the situation showed the SNP's pledge to provide more police officers was "failing". | |
"Dumfries and Galloway - despite being Scotland's smallest force - has real policing problems and needs to be supported," he said. | |
"They are being failed by the SNP." | |
'Slap in the face' | |
Dumfries Labour MSP Elaine Murray added that the matter would be "deeply concerning" to residents of the region. | |
Dumfries and Galloway's Labour MP Russell Brown described it as "a real slap in the face" for the SNP's pledge on policing. | |
The Scottish Government stressed that the force had 516 officers at the end of June, 4% more than last year and the most it had ever had. | |
The force also got four out of the 150 government-funded officers recruited last year and would get extra funding to recruit a further 25 officers over the next two years. | |
An SNP spokesman criticised what he called "Labour's obsession with negative politics". | |
"Police numbers are at record levels under the SNP government - nationally and in Dumfries and Galloway," he said. | |
"Before the SNP government took office, police recruitment was at its lowest level since devolution with many officers due to retire, leaving a huge potential gap in police numbers." | |
Councillors will meet in Dumfries to discuss the issue on Tuesday. |
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