From: "Charles Parker", [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Police Review 2/2/01
Article 1
ACPO could lose independence over lack of funds, says president
By Tina Orr-Munro
ACPO could become part of a central policy unit run by the Home Office if
funding from the Association of Police Authorities is not maintained, Tony
Burden, the ACPO president warned last week.
Mr Burden, who is also chief constable of South Wales Police said he was
fighting to retain ACPO's independence from the Home Office, but lack of
funding from the APA could result in a closer working relationship with the
Home Office.
Speaking at an APA meeting MR Burden said: 'We are in a situation now where
we are having to cut resources and I cannot make up the shortfall. If we are
offered funding, it is a case of any port in a storm.'
Mr Burden said he was 'fighting' HO plans to create a central policy unit.
'The HO would wish to fund us and second officers into a joint policy unit,'
he said. 'We do not want it. We need to keep our independence as you do.'
Centralising ACPO, said Mr Burden, could have an adverse effect on the APA.
'If a central policy group was set up you may feel that trying to influence
such a strong bond may be rather difficult,' he said.
Lady Angela Harris, chair of North Yorkshire Police Authority, said she was
'disturbed' by Mr Burden' claims. 'It is completely unacceptable,' she said.
'I look to ACPO to fight their corner as equally strongly as we have fought
ours.'
Stephen Murphy, chairman of Greater Manchester Police Authority said, the
APA should do 'what ever it could' to stop centralisation. 'I don't believe
we should move away from our tripartite relationship.' He said. 'We need
access to ACPO when we require them.'
As a result of the discussion, the APA approved a standstill budget plus
inflation for ACPO.
A Home Office spokesperson denied plans to make ACPO part of the HO.
'Discussion (regarding policing) with the APA and ACPO are ongoing and it is
not for the HO to tell either organisation how to organise themselves.'
Article 2
A substantial part of the revised ACPO manual of guidance on the police use
of firearms has been made available to the public for the first time.
Commenting on the publication of the manual last week, Paul Acres, chairman
of ACPO sub-committee on the use of police firearms and chief constable of
Hertfordshire Constabulary, said: 'The use of firearms is a very necessary
part of police wok. But it is a sensitive one and we are anxious to be open
about our guidance. We believe it is only right this information should be
now widely available.'
Mr Acres said the manual played a key role in developing and maintaining
high standards. 'It is constantly reviewed and updated,' he said, 'but this
is the first time that it has been extensively revised since it was first
created in 1983. I am delighted that 6 of its 10 chapters are now available
for the public to read on the internet.'
Mr Acres added that the manual complied fully with the articles of the
European Convention in Human Rights and had taken into consideration the
UN's Codes of Conduct. ' We hope that it will reassure the public just how
carefully we manage this issue,' said Mr Acres.
The first six chapters of the manual, covering powers and procedural
guidelines relating to the police use of firearms have been published on
ACPO's website, the address of which is www.acpo.police.uk
Article 3
Home Office releases details of police service strength
In response to a question by Anne Widdecombe, shadow home secretary, Charles
Clarke, Home Office minister, released details of police service strength
last week. The details are given on the table below.
Police force Total police officers Total police officers
Sept 2000 March 1997
Avon & Somerset 2,941 2,989
Bedfordshire 1,006 1,094
Cambridgeshire 1,266 1,302
Cheshire 2,000 2,046
Cleveland 1,421 1,459
Cumbria 1,048 1,144
Derbyshire 1,780 1,791
Devon & Cornwall 2,873 2,865
Dorset 1,299 1,284
Durham 1,581 1,464
Essex 2,780 2,961
Gloucestershire 1,142 1,133
Greater Manchester 6,767 6,922
Hampshire 3,435 3,452
Hertfordshire 1,961 1,759
Humberside 1,905 2,045
Kent 3,239 3,260
Lancashire 3,215 3,247
Leicestershire 2,010 1,949
Lincolnshire 1,162 1,196
City of London 720 859
Merseyside 4,081 4,230
Metropolitan Police 24,695 26,667
Norfolk 1,387 1,432
Northamptonshire 1,166 1,177
Northumbria 3,885 3,677
North Yorkshire 1,293 1,338
Nottinghamshire 2,232 2,323
South Yorkshire 3,184 3,159
Staffordshire 2,157 2,211
Suffolk 1,115 1,180
Surrey 2,113 1,620
Sussex 2,812 3,085
Thames Valley 3,748 3,695
Warwickshire 912 926
West Mercia 1,906 2,040
West Midlands 7,350 7,113
West Yorkshire 4,806 5,209
Wiltshire 1,099 1,154
Dyfed Powys 1,045 1,005
Gwent 1,271 1,234
North Wales 1,393 1,369
South Wales 3,069 2,976
Total police strength 124,614 125,051
--
Note the first article - as I keep saying it is very
important that you go and see your local councillor and
ask that your local police authority withdraw funding for
ACPO. Usually the amount is equivalent to the salary of
at least one PC. The Home Office is not the most pro-gun
organisation out there I realise, but they're better than
ACPO. Much better for the Home Office to be taking some
initiative on the issue of guidance and so on with input
from us rather than doing everything ACPO tell them to do.
(Which in some cases I can prove that is what the Home
Office has done).
Write to your local Force Director of Finance, find out
the amount your force gives to ACPO and confront your
local councillor with it.
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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