23,500 police staff jobs have been lost under Conservative since 2010
Funding for police staff in the UK must be protected to combat the rising tide of violent crime, GMB has told the Home Secretary today.
In a letter to Priti Patel, the union says crime scene investigators, PCSO, 999 call takers and dispatchers, custody officers, counter terrorism specialists and regional organised crime units must be protected during the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR)
Since 2010, 23,500 police staff jobs have been cut under successive Conservative-led Governments.
Meanwhile the latest crime figures show a large rise in violence against the person and stalking and harassment.
Karen Leonard, GMB National Officer, said:
“Police staff, including PCSOs, are often the backbone of neighbourhood policing – their funding must be protected.
“Any cuts will mean less uniforms on the street as they fight to tackle the still rising tide of serious and violent crime.
“Cut police staff numbers, and history shows that police officers, whom the public expect to be out on the beat tackling crime, will end up doing essential police staff jobs back at the station instead.
“Any funding for new police and police staff must be in addition to a flat, real terms, CSR settlement to protect existing police staff jobs.”
