The Taxpayers’ Alliance can reveal today that less than 12 per cent of police officers and Police Community Support Officers’ (PCSO) time is “visible and available” to the public. Because of this it effectively costs taxpayers nearly £800,000 for every constant ‘bobby on the beat’. While necessary spending cuts have to be made, this report reveals some forces are far better than others at ensuring officers are spending their time on the front line. A key priority for Police Chiefs and newly elected Police and Crime Commissioners must be to focus resources on frontline policing.
