Even though the headlines proclaimed the slashing of overtime budgets and general cost savings of £500 million by 2014 the Government White Paper "Protecting the public: supporting the police to succeed" published on 2nd December 2009 is actually good news for the police. It re-enforces and further consolidates the Reassurance/Neighbourhood Policing style that has gained supremacy in the last few years. A copy of the document can be obtained at;
http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/police-reform/protecting-the-public?view=Binary
It is good news for the police because even though police forces have to save money the policing style actually is more resource intensive than the alternative styles of policing. In many places in the USA the type of Neighbourhood Policing that is now practiced in England and Wales is considered unsustainable due to cost. At a time when government needs to save money a trimmed down police service is an option. An option that the Conservatives are no doubt looking at very carefully.
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