Calls for policing reassurances and better pay

Russ Yeomans, chair of West Mercia Police Federation, said the Government needs to make assurances over "a properly funded, properly resourced police service".

In a statement, Mr Yeomans said: "This begins with police officers on the ground.

"The men and women who are out there, protecting people day and night, need to be treated with respect.

"They are ordinary people doing an extraordinary job and when something goes wrong they need to be protected. This is why we would like to see a time limit for investigations by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

"Police officers are currently facing investigations with no time limit or indication of end dates. We believe in the majority of cases they could easily be completed in three to six months. After all - the evidence is there.

"We have recently cut down bail restrictions for members of the public to 28 days, so why must police officers spend months - even years - with a cloud hanging over their head?"

During the campaign in the run up to the general election, Prime Minister Theresa May came under fire from opposition leaders and pressed on statistics showing the number of armed police was lower now than in 2010, when she was appointed home secretary.

The overall number of officers was down by tens of thousands in the same period.

Mr Yeomans said: "The next Government must make policing a priority.

"Nationally we have lost 19,000 police officers since 2010. We are at the stage now where if more police officers cannot be assured, then the Government needs to be clear on what we can and are expected to deliver.

"If there are not enough officers on the streets, then we are going to have to start saying ‘no’ to certain duties. I don’t believe this is what the public wants, it’s certainly not what officers want."

The federation chairman also asked for assurances on pay and working conditions as officers continue to be involved in dangerous operations and terror attacks.

He said: "The terror threat is greater than ever. Recent events show that police officers are a target, yet their pay and conditions are getting steadily worse. Let us pay the men and women properly for the very challenging job they do.

"They cannot keep receiving a pay rise that is below inflation. It is not sustainable and it will not be long before we struggle to recruit.

"My members work incredibly hard protecting and serving their communities and they deserve to be paid properly and feel valued for a job well done. Policing should be a priority for us all."