Is it more police officers or less?

We’re a tad confused over the promises made just a couple of weeks ago.

Just a few weeks ago Cheshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), John Dwyer, was asking residents to fork out even more of their hard-earned – to pay for 120 extra police officers – to keep us all safe in our beds.

Having achieved the aim of increasing the police precept, which forms part of your council tax bill, potentially increasing the Constabulary take by £5 million, it would now appear that what he didn’t say is some PCSO’s may be for the chop.

Mr Dwyer is currently considering cutting the number of PCSOs – thus saving £1.3m – and using the cash to fund other police officers.

Forgive the confusion but surely the precept agreed to in January was to cover this was it not?

Or are we to get more police officers on top of the already promised 120?

Mr Dwyer has stressed there would be no redundancies – indicating that the loss of staff would be through ‘natural wastage’.

However, councillors at last week’s meeting of Cheshire Police and Crime Panel showed much concern on learning a PCSO review had been instigated without their knowledge.

Cllr Kenneth Critchley asked: “Does it imply there will be fewer PCSOs?”

Mr Dwyer responded that the 122 communities model set up by previous commissioner David Keane was in the plan.

He said: “The chief constable, however, has got a view that he wanted more police officers and so the PCSO review, which is still ongoing but we anticipate will reduce numbers of PCSOs through natural wastage, will result in an increase in the police establishment.”

He added: ”I think we’re currently running at about 200 PCSOs in the county and the feeling is that we don’t need 200.

“But there’ll be no redundancies, it will be natural wastage.

“I think the figure the chief constable raised with me the other day was about 160, but it’s about actually moving resources around so that we actually re-invest the savings we make in other parts of the organisation to tackle the issues that we know need to be tackled.”

Cllr Critchley responded: “Where I live I’d say the PCSOs are hugely visible, police constables less so, so I definitely support the retention of the PCSOs providing that vital comfort to the community.”

Panel chair Evan Morris enquired: “That trade off, as it appears to be, between PCSOs and full time police officers, was that made public at any stage during the consultation period of the budget?”

Mr Dwyer replied: “No, this is still a review and until we’ve got to the end of the review, until we actually get the final figure, it won’t be a public discussion.

“But the public at large are asking to see police officers, not PCSOs in particular, although I fully accept and acknowledge the value of PCSOs.

“They’re very important to my policing plans for the community of Cheshire and that’s why we’re committed to maintaining the 122 model which we guarantee a PC and a PCSO for each one of the identified communities.”

Cllr Paul Findlow said: “I hope there’s no fait accompli about the future of PCSOs.”

Adding that there needed to be a proper consultation because it is a major policy issue and should be treated as such.

Cllr Laura Jeuda said: “I think people are going to be very disappointed and possibly very angry if they do lose any of the PCSOs.”

Well, what is it Mr Dwyer, is it more police officers?