Shropshire crime commissioner fears 'drastic change' over policing cuts

Bill Longmore admitted he was "concerned" over the prospect of further cuts and warned there was "very little fat left to trim" within the West Mercia force area, which includes the county.

He was speaking amid fears more cuts are set to be announced for police forces across the country following the government's comprehensive spending review in November.

Mr Longmore said he fully intended to honour a pledge made when he came to office to maintain the level of officers in the force.

But he said he could not make any promises for what would happen after his term of office ends next year.

The commissioner said: "People have shared their concerns with me recently about the possible impact of further government cuts to local policing.

"I think a lot of their concerns are legitimate, and I want people to know I am concerned as well.

"There is very little fat left to trim within policing in West Mercia, and if the government does announce more significant cuts to central funding, then I think something, somewhere would have to give.

"We would all have to adjust our expectations about exactly what service they could realistically provide.

"There is only so far you can push these things, and I really feel like there is very little more that can be squeezed without drastic change.

"We won't know the exact detail of the government's plans until the comprehensive spending review, and then the police settlement information later this year. We are expecting more government cuts, but I truly hope good sense prevails."

Mr Longmore said "volunteer crime squads", put forward as a proposal by the government last week, were only viable if they were to supplement and support police officers.

"Volunteers play an incredibly useful and important role in modern policing - whether that's as a special constable, or in a variety of other roles," he said.

"I am very grateful for their contribution, but the key here is that they are there to supplement existing officers and staff, not replace them, which is what the government seems to be proposing.

"Policing is a skilled profession, and as far as I'm concerned, to suggest you could replace properly trained officers with volunteers sounds like a recipe for disaster.

"In the last year the number of officers in West Mercia has actually increased - going back up towards the base-line figure that we felt was necessary. I made a promise that the number of officer posts would be sustained, and not reduced further during my term of office, and that will be the case."

"What will happen beyond that though, I really cannot say. My term of office will end next year.

"It will be up to the new commissioner, in conjunction with the Chief Constable, to come up with their own plans. "Undoubtedly government spending will be a big factor in what those plans look like, and what will be achievable."