Police cleared to work in partnership with business

WEST Midlands Police has been cleared to work with private businesses in an attempt to generate cost savings.

The region’s police authority has given the green light for the radical new step although police unions have expressed concerns at the plans, branding them a privatisation of the force.

The force as a whole needs to make savings of £126m over the next four years and has not ruled out compulsory redundancies.

The decision by the police authority means the force will now explore in more detail whether a new strategic partnership with business could be a viable way forward.

The private sector initiative will operate as part of Programme Paragon, a joint initiative with Surrey Police, which has the full backing of the Home Office. The Government has agreed to help fund a procurement process with selected external organisations to explore what skills, expertise and solutions a business partnership could bring to policing.

“If we are to move forward and improve policing and the services we provide, especially during a period of nil growth, we must seek large scale and fundamental transformational change, especially into how we carry out so-called ‘middle’ and ‘back office’ functions,” said Chief Constable Chris Sims.

“This will require us making innovative and radical alterations to the way in which we carry out business and include changes to our technological infrastructure, our operational processes and our culture.

“Entering into a partnership with a skilled and experienced external organisation may benefit in a number of ways including allowing us to reduce costs and gain advantages from the scale, technology and capital they could bring.”

If a full procurement process goes ahead, it is likely to take between 12-18 months, when a decision will be made about whether to enter into any formal agreement with an external partner.

Mr Sims said it was important to acknowledge that staff had already undergone a great deal of upheaval over the last 12 months as part of the large-scale changes already undertaken to the way we the force does business and this is likely to continue for some while yet.

“I would like to pay tribute to the commitment officers and police staff continue to show on a daily basis over this difficult period,” he said.

“However, we must recognise the realities we are facing and make the best possible decisions for the future of policing and our local communities.

“Our agenda is simple – it is to serve our communities and protect them from harm. I believe these changes are the first steps towards a new horizon which will in time shape the policing of the future.”