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Cleveland Police will lose officers

Cleveland Police has had to make additional savings of £4.8m. They have already lost 280 officers and must lose another 58.

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Full report: Cleveland Police to lose officers

The Chief Constable of Cleveland Police is warning that additional spending cuts will force her staff to grade non-emergency police calls in order of their importance.

The Teesside service has already slashed £15 million from its budget but has since discovered it must make an extra £5 million of enforced savings over the next two years.

It means front line officers are facing redundancy.

Rachel Bullock reports.

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Cleveland's financial plans for £4.8m cut

Cleveland’s Police and Crime Commissioner, and the Force, have outlined their financial plans. The Force has had to make savings of £15.1m. After a review, additional savings of £4.8m must be made. This means voluntary redundancy and early retirement.

Measures put in place to make those savings:

  • Police officer recruitment freeze
  • Loss of over 300 police officers
  • Outsourcing business support
  • Reducing expenses
  • Use of a more flexible model

"The Force is now in a position where it really is going down to the minimum number of people it needs to deliver policing in Cleveland.

“This is exacerbated by the cuts underway in other areas of the public sector which have a direct influence on levels of crime and disorder, and on the demand for policing services.

“This concerns me greatly and it’s time to say to the current government ‘enough is enough’. We are now cut to the bone and this cannot be allowed to continue."

– Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland Barry Coppinger

“I do not underestimate the impact our plans will have on individuals, but given the scale of the savings we have to make, regrettably, we have no other option but to downsize.”

– Chief Constable of Cleveland Police Jacqui Cheer

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