The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema & Tv
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
      • Shows
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Current affairs

999 first responders hit by government cuts

999 first responders hit by government cuts
11 March 2012
Rajeeb Gurung
Avatar
Rajeeb Gurung
11 March 2012

More than 5,000 police officers dealing with emergency calls have been made redundant since the general election, a new figure released under freedom of information has shown.

The shocking result follows last month’s meeting between David Cameron and the Commons where the former assured the general public that the percentage of frontline police was actually increasing and they were not undermining their promise to make the frontline forces immune to budget cuts. However, the data – supplied by the forces and independently verified by the House of Commons – confirmed the loss of 5,261 police forces between March 2010 and the end of last year.

Devon and Cornwall forces have reportedly been hit the hardest losing 25% (540) of their total respondents, the West Midlands losing 19% (1,023). The total figures are expected to be significantly higher, as 20 forces are still yet to provide data announcing their loss.

Responding to these statistics, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper reiterated that these negative consequences were the outcome of 20% budget cuts enforced by the government. She further stated that the government have no interesting in protecting the frontline policing labelling the government’s vocal support towards the forces as “bogus”.

She said: “This steep fall in the frontline teams who respond to 999 calls just goes to show how damaging it is for the government to cut 16,000 officers. The evidence is stacked against the government and against their bogus claims about protecting frontline policing. Whether it is visible or frontline policing, however the government want to phrase it, Theresa May and David Cameron’s decision to cut 16,000 police officers is causing huge damage to police forces; and it is communities who will ultimately pay the price.”

A Home Office spokesman denied the legitimacy of the figure claiming that they were not “official figures.” He instead highlighted the introduction of 500 more officers on the frontline patrolling the streets and the numbers are continuing to rise.

The spokesman said: “We’ve reversed the policies of the past to get police out of back-offices roles and back on the streets. Official figures show that since March 2010, we’ve seen 500 more officers on the frontline, as work is being done across all 43 forces to reduce the more than 23,500 warranted police officers in backroom posts.”

Rajeeb Gurung

Related Items

More in Current Affairs

Changes to expect during menopause

The editorial unit
Read More

Nek brings Italian pop rock to the Shepherd’s Bush Empire

The editorial unit
Read More

Why Equity Linked Savings Schemes is a preferred tax saving?

The editorial unit
Read More

How the world’s top designers would rebrand political parties

The editorial unit
Read More

Royal baby furore: Proof that the British monarchy is still popular?

Eoin O’Sullivan-Harris
Read More

World Mental Health Day 2018: Raising awareness and combating stigma

The editorial unit
Read More

Seven political personalities you should know about

The editorial unit
Read More

Donald Trump: An enemy of the arts?

The editorial unit
Read More

Trump’s fortune: Where did the money come from?

The editorial unit
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • I’m Your Man (Ich bin dein Mensch)
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Black Bear
    ★★★★★
    Glasgow
  • Celebrate International Women’s Day with a Bombay Sapphire Cocktails & Create masterclass
    Food & Drinks
  • Spotlight: Lauren Everet and Soup Kitchen London, striving for food security and social equality
    Food & Drinks
  • Bicep at Saatchi Gallery Online
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • “At school, I always asked myself what my teachers were really like as human beings”: Director Maria Speth on Mr Bachmann and His Class
    Berlinale
  • Voice of Silence
    ★★★★★
    Glasgow
  • Delectible drinks that would make the perfect Mother’s Day gift
    Food & Drinks
  • The Dissident
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • “I am not the kind of actor who is really interested in mimicry”: Tom Schilling on Fabian – Going to the Dogs
    Berlinale
  • The Dissident
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (Guzen to sozo)
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Moxie
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Souad
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • We (Nous)
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Coca-Cola and Pepsi change recipe to elude cancer warning label
Paralysed man Tony Nicklinson reignites right to die debate