PSA President Nick Smart has spoken in support of Commissioner Mark Rowley, NPCC Chair Gavin Stephens, CCs Serena Kennedy, Craig Guildford, Stephen Watson and John Robins, who have urged the government to significantly increase police funding in the forthcoming spending review:
"The comments made by Mark Rowley and colleagues echo the key messages made within my speech at conference last year, and repeated at length in recent months.
"We know that policing is underfunded, we know that we are stretched beyond breaking point, and we know that the many ambitious pledges made by government simply cannot be delivered without the resources to do so.
"Every chief constable and every police officer will want nothing more than to meet the targets that the government has set out as part of its Safer Streets Mission. We want safer communities, we want to catch and detain criminals and we want the public to have trust and confidence in us. To do this we need the people, the training, the technology and the long-term investment to deliver.
"We have been in a cycle of austerity and efficiency saving drives for more than a decade. Last summer's disorder was the perfect example of why a well-resourced police workforce is essential. At any moment, police officers can be required to mobilise and protect. We will always be there. But day to day business never stops in moments such as these, in fact, it is increasing.
"In line with Commissioner Rowley and his chief constable colleagues, we urge the government to prioritise policing, to fund the pledges it has promised the public and to enable us to deliver policing our communities expect and deserve."
See the Commissioner and Chiefs' letter to The Times here.
"The comments made by Mark Rowley and colleagues echo the key messages made within my speech at conference last year, and repeated at length in recent months.
"We know that policing is underfunded, we know that we are stretched beyond breaking point, and we know that the many ambitious pledges made by government simply cannot be delivered without the resources to do so.
"Every chief constable and every police officer will want nothing more than to meet the targets that the government has set out as part of its Safer Streets Mission. We want safer communities, we want to catch and detain criminals and we want the public to have trust and confidence in us. To do this we need the people, the training, the technology and the long-term investment to deliver.
"We have been in a cycle of austerity and efficiency saving drives for more than a decade. Last summer's disorder was the perfect example of why a well-resourced police workforce is essential. At any moment, police officers can be required to mobilise and protect. We will always be there. But day to day business never stops in moments such as these, in fact, it is increasing.
"In line with Commissioner Rowley and his chief constable colleagues, we urge the government to prioritise policing, to fund the pledges it has promised the public and to enable us to deliver policing our communities expect and deserve."
See the Commissioner and Chiefs' letter to The Times here.