Greater Manchester Police Privatisation
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Transcript of Greater Manchester Police Privatisation
4 THE BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH · 23-29 APRIL 2012
N E W S
Moving to a different beat
Police forces have invited bids from private companies to provide services including investigating crimes
Large-scale staff cuts at GreaterManchester Police could be partof a move towardsprivatisation, lessaccountability and poorerstandards, union groups and aleading expert have warned.
GMP is one of several forcesacross England to haveexpressed interest in thepossible outsourcing of policeservices to private companies,which could see securitycompanies taking oninvestigations and patrollingneighbourhoods.
Over the last year there havebeen more than 1,000 stafflosses at GMP with a further2,000 expected by 2014/15,fuelling concerns that privatefirms could be paid to step inand fill the void.
PrivatisationJim Moodie, who leads onpolice and justice at UnisonNorth West, told The Big Issuein the North he feared “poorerpaid, less committed” policestaff will be increasinglyemployed as part of privatecontracts.
“We believe that the frontlinehas already been affectedspecifically in terms of policestaff losses,” Moodie said. “Wecould see every part of policestaffing potentially outsourced,effectively meaning anybodywho wants to come in and makea profit out of running thepolice services is going to beinterested.
“So when you go into yourpolice station the only ones whomight not be part of the privatesector are the ones who will bewearing the uniforms. Yourcustody staff, your enquirycounters, your 999 call handlers– they could be part of theprivate sector. And we simplydon’t think that’s acceptable interms of the type of publicservice that the police force is.”
Other forces have alreadymoved towards privatisation.Cleveland Police has brought insecurity firm Steria to take overits control room, humanresources and training, crime
management unit, finance anddistrict inquiry desks.
Private security contractorG4S has been recruiting“investigating officers” to workwith police in London, and hasalso secured a £200 million ten-year deal with LincolnshirePolice in which private securityguards will take suspectedcriminals into custody.
Professor Jim Waddington, aformer police constable who hasadvised governments on lawand order over a near 50-yearcareer, said staff cuts were partof a move towards privatisationlinked to “pressures ofglobalisation” affectingcountries across the world.
‘Radical solutions’“There are forces at work herethat are much bigger,”Waddington said. “Thiscontinues an uneven butdiscernible trend over a periodof about 30 or 40 years... it’s justone more step. There has been aprogressive privatisation andoutsourcing of police functions,starting with things like trafficwardens in the 1960s.
“What will change most, I think, is the relationshipbetween the authorities thatthey represent and the peoplewho are on the receiving end.They [privately contractedpolice] will be employees of acompany without allegiance oraccountability to the Crown.Employees have a master andservant relationship and willjust do what they are told to do.One has to worry about that.”
During an online question andanswer session last month, GMPChief Constable Peter Fahy saidthe force had no plans tooutsource call taking or scene-of-crime services but added“radical solutions” could benecessary.
“We are watching what ishappening in other areas thatare looking at working closerwith private sector companies,”Fahy said.
“I do need to be clear – thebudget savings we are requiredto make will require radicalsolutions.
“While the private sector hassome things to offer, there arealso lots of drawbacks so that is
why we are watching how otherforces are getting on. I wouldmuch prefer for us to achievesavings by working in greatercollaboration with other publicservices in Greater Manchester.”
SuspectsLast month it emerged WestMidlands and Surrey policeforces have invited bids fromcompanies on behalf of forcesacross the country to provideservices including investigatingcrimes, detaining suspects anddeveloping cases.
The Police Federation, whichrepresents all police officers inEngland and Wales, attacked themove.
“This plan suggests that corepolicing roles such as policepatrols and the power to detain,thus depriving people of theirliberty, will be undertaken byprivate business employees,”said vice-chairman Simon Reed.“This would have catastrophicconsequences for the high levelof service the public rightlyexpect and currently receive.”
RYAN GALLAGHER
BITN 923_04,05 (News) 20/4/12 12:32 Page 4