Home Secretary admits 'police do not have enough resources'

Home Secretary Sajid Javid has confessed that police do not have enough resources to ‘do their jobs effectively.’

Appearing at the Police Superintendents’ Association Annual Conference on Tuesday (11 September), Mr Javid, who was born in Rochdale, admitted that improvements need to be made to the service.

He said: “I know that improvements have to be made. And listening to you - that informs every single decision I make about policing as Home Secretary.

“You’ve been telling me that you and your forces are feeling stretched.

“That the nature of crime is changing and that sometimes you feel that you just can’t keep up with it.

“We know that so-called ‘traditional crime’ is down by a third since 2010.

“But that there are all sorts of other crimes which are being reported more than ever before and putting demands on policing.

“Like hate crime and child sexual abuse.

“The threat from terrorism we’ve sadly seen has also escalated and evolved.

“And we also know that you are now more likely to be the victim of crime online than offline.

“There has also been a recent increase sadly in serious violence – including homicides, knife and gun crime.”

Mr Javid’s comments came as the National Audit Office published a new report warning that ‘forces were finding it difficult to provide services that met the needs of communities’ due to funding cuts and staffing.

He continued: “As superintendents, you sometimes feel like you’re being pulled in all sorts of different strategic directions.

“You’re having to change the strategic direction of your forces to manage new and emerging threats and to adapt your resources accordingly.

“I want you to feel that you are comfortably equipped to deal with the changing crime landscape.

“And yes, part of it is of course resources.

“Despite this increase in funding, I do recognise the pressures on policing.

“Let me be clear with you, I will continue to fight on the police’s behalf to ensure you have the resources you need to do your jobs effectively, but making sure that forces are fit for the future isn’t just about the finances.

“You also need to have the tools and support to do your jobs.”

The Home Secretary’s admission came as police have been awarded a 2% pay rise after the government rejected an official recommendation of increasing police officers’ pay by 3%.

A leaked letter earlier this year revealed that Mr Javid wrote to the Prime Minister, accusing her of ‘making the wrong decision’ by blocking the higher pay increase, adding that he was “strongly in favour” of the recommendation.

He told superintendents that ministers took a ‘collective’ decision on the pay increase, which was “the maximum affordable.”

The increase means that average pay for a police constable will now be more than £38,600 per year.

Mr Javid added: “Our police officers do an incredible job in the face of complex crime and rising demand, and I’m grateful for their continued dedication to keeping us safe. This award represents the highest consolidated pay award since 2010.

“I’ll continue to fight on behalf of police to ensure they have the resources they need to do their jobs effectively.”