[A-List] UK corporate state: sponsored police!

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

Councillors vote for sponsored police
Two-tier system feared amid criticism of 'hired' patrolmen, writes BRIAN
DONNELLY
The Herald, 11 February 2003

POLICE officers sponsored by commercial companies yesterday became a reality
in Lothian and Borders, the first area in Scotland, despite trenchant
criticism in some quarters.

Private firms will now be able to sponsor additional officers as the force
attempts to rein in costs. Officers hired for the schemes would not be taken
from the existing force, but would be taken on as extra staff.

They would also not operate on traditional patrols, but offer a community
liaison consultancy role, and could be taken from their post to attend to
other, more pressing police matters if required.

Lothian and Borders Police board yesterday voted eight to six in favour of
allowing commercial companies such as bus companies like Lothian Buses and
FirstBus, which have expressed an interest, to apply for policing.

It is the first force in Scotland to offer sponsored police officers,
although West Midlands Police currently receives £30,000 a year for a
transport liaison officer from Travel West Midlands.

However, there were claims the move struck at the fabric of democratic
policing, and could lead to the creation of a two-tier police force and the
perception that those who paid were getting a better service.

Marilyne MacLaren, a LibDem councillor on the board, said: "One of the most
essential elements of Scottish policing is its democratic accountability and
the fact that it is funded through public taxation.

"This view of sponsoring a police officer threatens the very fabric of it
being public, and the argument against groups and organisations being
allowed to buy policing is that of having a system of policing where those
who can't afford to pay for it are losing out.

"If there was a fraud inquiry with one of these private companies there
could be the public perception that the police investigation could be
influenced by this relationship."

Roseanna Cunningham MSP, SNP justice spokeswoman, said last night: "I am
extremely concerned about the way in which this is going and the impact it
could have on the ability of chief constables and other officers to
determine their operational priorities.

"It threatens eventually to lead to a two-tier police force."

The Scottish Police Federation said it would be studying the implication of
yesterday's decision before deciding what action to take.

Calum Laurie, secretary of the Lothian and Borders branch of the federation,
said: "It is ridiculous. I can understand with tight constraints on all
police force budgets, a chief constable examining many routes to raise
capital.

"However, there is a fundamental issue here that police officers -
particularly in Scotland - are community-based and we are there to represent
all members of the public no matter what colour, creed, or financial status.

"The second that we go down the sponsorship route would be a sad departure
from the long-held views of the Scottish police service."

Paddy Tomkins, chief constable of Lothian and Borders Police, stressed that
sponsored officers would be additional, adding: "The aim would be to avoid
any constraints which arrangements might otherwise place on the ability of
the chief constable to meet his responsibilities across the force."

-----

We're now on the road to rent-a-cop
Brian Meek
The Herald, 11 February 2003

Irish humorist George Byker once observed: "You can always discourage
burglars by wearing a policeman's uniform and standing outside your house
all day and night." We adopted a similar position at yesterday's meeting of
Lothians and Borders police board.

Under an item entitled External funding for police services, the board
considered a report by the chief constable that recommended it agree to the
secondment of police officers to other public services (eg the Scottish
Executive, local authorities, health boards) for services which could not be
described as standard police duties. The housing department of the City of
Edinburgh Council, for instance, is to receive assistance, which it will pay
for, in identifying and regulating anti-social tenants, a perfectly laudable
aim.

The board was also invited to confirm that partial funding of police
services by companies would be permitted as long as they were providing a
public service for the community. Two bus companies - Lothian Transport and
FirstBus - will be paying for officers to advise on how they can make travel
safer. It is about the part sponsoring of the police or rent-a-cop.

There may well be more of this practice in future. The chief constable asked
the board to approve in principle the funding of additional police officers
to provide a standard service to the public where police assessment of need
does not justify re-allocation of resources from elsewhere. In other words,
if your organisation or company has the cash and is worried about public
safety, call us and we may send in some uniforms.

I was one of the members opposed to the introduction of this fund-raising
exercise. Every week I am assailed by constituents who complain about the
lack of visibility and numbers of police officers. You could paper the walls
of my office with stories of slow response times to incidents or failure to
make any headway in solving car crime.

The chief constable made it clear he was talking about additional officers,
in the case of secondments, who would enhance the present service. My
response was that I wanted new faces out on the streets.

More fundamentally, I abhor the notion that if you or your organisation has
the money, you can buy special policing. The convener of the board denied
this was the case but the facts sing a different song.

If Edinburgh's housing department did not have the cash available, it would
not get the assistance it wants from the police. The situation is the same
for the bus companies that have problems with violent passengers. If that is
the case, why are they are not given, as of right, police protection and
advice? Again, the chief constable was at pains to point out he would retain
operational control of his officers. If there were a major incident, and
they were required, the seconded ones would be brought back very quickly.

We were reminded the Lothian and Borders force, like others, receives money
from the British Airports' Authority for officers on its premises and
professional football clubs have to pay for bobbies to patrol pitches. With
respect, m'lud, that is not quite the same thing.

There are public order and safety issues at airports and football grounds,
while officers on duty at the latter are seconded only for part of a day.
Without them, it would be too dangerous to stage major soccer events or
rugby tests.

Examples were given of externally-funded officers in two other parts of the
UK. West Midlands police has set up a partnership with a travel company to
combat crime, vandalism, and graffiti on buses and, since January 2000,
there have been 350 arrests. In West Yorkshire, the police force employs six
officers funded by Wakefield Metropolitan District Council, which has more
than 39,000 houses and flats. The officers are tasked with supporting the
creation of communities free from anti-social behaviour and the fear of
crime.

There is nothing wrong with these initiatives, though I would have preferred
evidence from the Met or other cities, but they should be supported by
police budgets. If they cannot be undertaken owing to cash limits, then the
government, which boasted about being tough on crime and its causes, needs
to review its priorities.

Police officers cost a lot to train and are paid a decent wage. They should
not be employed, even part-time, by commercial companies unless in
exceptional circumstances. What would happen, asked one councillor, if there
were rumours of corruption in such companies? Would we require different
police to investigate? Well, there was a heated debate: I seconded an
amendment by a Lib-Dem councillor that we should not proceed with the
secondments and there was support from an independent. But the usual Labour
phalanx was present and we lost by eight votes to six.

I am certain this is not the last we will hear of this debate. Proposals in
future for external funding of additional police officers are to be brought
back to the board for consideration.

Brian Meek is a Conservative member of Edinburgh City Council.