Lincolnshire police look to cut officer numbers due to funding issues
Up to 200 police officers could be cut at the Lincolnshire force
Lincolnshire Police says its looking at reducing the number of officers because of a funding gap with up to 2 hundred possibly going .
The force says it's having to address a shortfall of 14 million over the next financial year
A planned new intake of officers in March has been cancelled.
The force says the funding settlement which has just been announced for the next financial year "did not deliver the fair funding that Lincolnshire Police had hoped and lobbied for"
Chief Constable Paul Gibson said:
"We have been working hard with Government and other policing stakeholders during the past days and weeks to improve the financial settlement, but at this stage no additional funds are forthcoming.
Sadly, we have been left with no other option
"We are facing some very difficult decisions and cancelling the next police officer intake is just the first of what is likely to be many to come.
I do not underestimate the impact this is likely to have had on those planning to join in in March but, sadly, we have been left with no other option because of the financial constraints imposed upon us.
"No other definitive decisions have yet been made and the conversations we are having explore different options, all of which are based around what best protects and keeps communities in Lincolnshire safe and what meets our legislative and statutory obligations.
"Our police staff will feel the most immediate effects of these changes as reductions are inevitable and we are exploring every opportunity where we can feasibly reduce risk to our communities within our means, and deliver the very best service with the resources we have. We will also need to reduce our police officer model to 1,000 in the next few years.
All of these are changes that will undoubtedly be felt keenly by our staff and the public we serve.
"I appreciate that people may be wondering how this will affect them and what level of service they will receive and as soon as we have made final decisions, I will make sure they are communicated and explained.
Of course we want to work with those forces that are struggling
"The PCC and I continue to talk to the Home Office to try and find equitable funding and we will continue in those discussions to try and agree a more positive way forward.”
The Government says it's investing an extra £100 million nationwide into neighbourhood policing trying to boost the number of officers on the ground.
We've asked Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson about Lincolnshire's funding specifically.
She said: "I fully recognise there are challenges for many police forces including Lincolnshire but we're putting in additional money."
"Of course we want to work with those forces that are struggling."
"Lincolnshire police and every other police force is getting a real terms increase in their budget from April. "