Staffordshire Police Federation has backed calls for officers to be given more time and better resources to concentrate on fighting crime.
Former chief constable of Greater Manchester Sir Peter Fahy warned some forces were struggling to deliver basic services because the demands placed upon them had become too great and that public confidence had suffered as a result
He was speaking after police chiefs pledged to send officers to investigate all home burglaries as part of a new set of standards they hope will result in more of the crimes being solved and more offenders prosecuted.
Sir Peter told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “The Government needs to remove from policing all these additional tasks that have been taken on.
“It is not just about the number of police officers, it’s what they do and whether they are given the freedom and the tools to concentrate on crime.
“At the moment most frontline operational officers are very frustrated that they can’t concentrate on crime and criminals because they are picking up lots of other jobs as well, covering for social services and mental health services.
“These are vital jobs but police officers are not actually trained to do them and they want to concentrate on crime and while numbers are going up, a lot of those officers are inexperienced and need time to learn the craft and get to know local criminals and local patterns of crime.”
Sir Peter’s comments came as the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said an evidence review from the College of Policing had shown how swift attendance of officers at scenes of crime can increase victim satisfaction and aid investigations, as well as helping with the prevention of future crimes in the area.
His views were echoed by Staffordshire Police Federation chair Lee Robinson.
He said: “Our members want to deliver a modern, proactive service which the people of Staffordshire can trust and rely upon so this announcement from the police chiefs is to be welcomed.
“But as Sir Peter Fahy said, our members need to see their workload reduced and the type of work they do reviewed before they can make these new proposals work.
“They want nothing more than to be out there catching the bad guys but more often than not will spend their shift carrying out work that should really be the responsibility of another service.
“Staffordshire Police is working hard to make the improvements called for by HMICFRS and freeing up our members to catch criminals and solve crime would be a great way to start increasing levels of public confidence.”
The NPCC said police forces will prioritise attendance where people’s homes have been burgled, rather than outbuildings and garden sheds.
