Tuesday, November 16, 2010

WILL AMERICAN CITIES BE NEXT?

Oakland is cutting way down on the number of its cops and several small cities in California have disbanded their police departments. With a nationwide budget crunch, how many other cities will fall in line with drastic public safety cuts of their own?
 
POLICE CUT 3,000 JOBS
 
The Straits Times
November 15, 2010
 
LONDON - THE Greater Manchester Police force (GMP) is to cut almost 3,000 jobs over the next four years including some frontline officers to cope with a shrinking budget, its chief constable said on Monday.
 
Peter Fahy said the impact of cuts in government funding would mean the posts - which account for nearly a quarter of the force's current strength - would be axed in order to make 134 million pounds of savings.
 
Over four years, 2,950 jobs will go at GMP, one of Britain's biggest forces, with a reduction of 309 officers in 2011/2.
 
In order to make the cuts, GMP would have to use powers to force some officers with 30 years experience to retire, Mr Fahy said in a report to the force's governing body, the Greater Manchester Police Authority.
 
'Although there will be a significant reduction in the size of the middle and back offices, it is clear that over the four year period there will also need to be a reduction in frontline police officer numbers,' the report said.
 
'Service levels could deteriorate due to reduced funding.' In a statement, Mr Fahy said the aim of their savings plan was to protect frontline services. 'Protecting frontline policing is at the heart of the plans we have been developing,' he said. -- REUTERS

No comments: