LANCASHIRE’S police commissioner has joined calls for a reversal to years of funding cuts to the service.
Clive Grunshaw, the county’s police and crime commissioner, has protested with regional counterparts to Home Secretary Amber Rudd.
The protest came days after a warning from Lancashire’s chief constable, Steve Finnigan, that cracks were ‘beginning to appear’ in the service because of cuts.
Mr Grunshaw said: “I hear from people and officers across Lancashire about their concerns about the resources available to the police to do their jobs and keep communities safe.
“Despite promises from ministers about ‘protecting’ budgets, Lancashire receives less money every year from the Government to deliver a policing service.
“My message to the Home Secretary is that this needs to change and we need to start reinvesting in policing, not cutting our budgets further.”
Ch Con Finnigan, who retires this month, revealed in a recent interview that he had lost 800 officers and 400 police staff since 2010.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here