Police forces ‘operating on shoestring and victims being failed’

Police forces are operating “on a shoestring” and the criminal justice system is failing victims “in the most damaging way”, the head of the Police Superintendents’ Association will warn.

Nick Smart is set to use his keynote speech to the body’s annual conference to call on the Government to “start afresh with a blank canvas” for the police.

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson is set to respond to his comments with her own speech directly after his at the event.

Mr Smart will tell the Government: “This is a time to lay a marker, and show us that things will be different, that we will no longer face year-on-year of underinvestment, our calls for change will not be ignored, and we will finally start to feel both valued and respected.”

“No one knows policing better than your workforce. Let us help you get it right. Let’s start afresh with a blank canvas for policing where the key stakeholders who know about policing – your workforce, those who live it every day, are listened to.”

Delegates will hear that forces in England and Wales have seen an average increase of six officers per year since 2010.

Describing the criminal justice system as broken, Mr Smart will say: “We are doing all we can, and ‘all we can’ is not enough, because we are operating on a shoestring.

“Victims are being failed in the most damaging way and this must change.

“The sheer frustration that colleagues at all ranks and in all departments feel at being unable to provide victims with the service they deserve is palpable.”

Other senior police figures set to address the conference on Tuesday include chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council Gavin Stephens, and head of the College of Policing Andy Marsh.

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services Andy Cooke will also give a speech.