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`More bobbies on beat' - but dozens face chop
Exclusive John Scheerhout

August 18, 2009

GREATER Manchester Police may axe 116 cops - and replace them with civilians.

The force says the plan would save about £1.6m a year but actually INCREASE the number of bobbies on the beat by slashing red tape.

Rank-and-file cops branded the move `short-sighted' and claimed it would leave the force short of officers in the event of a major disturbance.

The plans are at an early stage, but it is understood that if it goes ahead there will be no redundancies.

Chief Constable Peter Fahy is keen for GMP to take advantage of new technology and hand over some roles to civilians so police can concentrate on fighting crime.

He has set the force a target saving £61m by 2011 by streamlining the work officers do, with the cash saved ploughed back into fighting crime.

In the latest phase of his initiative, managers on each of the ten GMP divisions have identified 116 `back-office' jobs done by police officers which could be taken over by civilians.

The force, which has just over 8,000 police officers, wants to take away paperwork from front-line officers.

Chris Burrows, chairman of the Greater Manchester branch of the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file cops, expressed concern about the proposals.

He said: "We support any attempt to make efficiency savings but not at the expense of sworn police officers.

"It is short-sighted to look at just the initial savings because that won't reflect the level of service provided to the public.

"Everyone remembers the trouble when the Uefa cup final was in Manchester and of course civilians who replace police officers cannot be called upon to leave their desks."

GMP's human resources boss, Julia Rogers, the top ranked civilian in the force, said: "The force continually reviews its resources and as such we have been considering where there could be potential opportunities to civilianise some police officer posts.

"These issues are currently under discussion and no decisions have been made on any roles at this stage.

"We are committed to providing a strong frontline presence on the streets of Greater Manchester and any such decision on the civilianisation of posts would only be taken with a view to enhancing the service received by its citizens."

The M.E.N has previously reported how GMP is piloting a project to cut red tape.

Police in Salford and Tameside can radio statements from crime victims into an office without having to return to a police station, leaving them free to go back on the beat.

Last year GMP won a 7 per cent increase in funding over the next three years.

The deal included money for 104 new community beat bobbies.

Dec 2007... I am hoping Fahy will LAND the job as best common sense candidate of the chasers here ...