MobileHerbert: policing reforms will have no impact on frontline
11:17 | PoliticsHome News
Policing minister Nick Herbert responded to the Home Affairs select committee chair Keith Vaz, and others, on yesterday's announcement of policing reforms, including the timetable, effect on frontline policing, and accountability of elected police officials.
He said the government wished to pass the Bill "before the end of this year in order to meet the ambition to hold elections for police commissioners by 2012."
"The average duration of a home office minister is a year. The savings of over £1bn a year can be made without impacting upon frontline policing. It's not merely about the number of people working in the police force, it's about how they are used and deployed and we still have reasonably low visibility and availability."
"I don't believe it's profitable to play the numbers game. What balance in the workforce are they achieving? Are they getting police officers out on patrol? In relation to investigative teams, some chief officers are looking at a potential role for civilians in that mix."
He said budgetary savings was a reason that "we proposed yesterday that the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) be phased out in an attempt to de-clutter the national landscape. What we need to avoid is the reams and reams of policy guidance that lands on officers desks."
"What we want is an environment where police are hold account publicly for their conduct and performance. I think there is a risk-averse culture."
He also said there was a "danger that overtime has become institutionalised. This is an issue that needs to be looked at in the pay review,"
Mr Herbert said he "absolutely backed a non-emergency national number" to act as an alternative to 999.