Halstead: Neighbourhood officers at risk from police cuts (From Halstead Gazette)

Halstead: Neighbourhood officers at risk from police cuts

1:30pm Friday 10th February 2012 in News

Halstead is again at risk of cuts to its neighbourhood police, despite last month’s assurances that officer numbers would be maintained.

Essex Police had assured people that next month’s restructure of the force would not affect the amount of serving officers in the town.

But a report given to the Essex Police Authority this week suggests that 93 neighbourhood officers may lose their jobs in an attempt to fill a £4.4m hole in the county force’s finances.

The only alternative is for the force to negotiate a four per cent increase in council tax, but even then some neighbourhood officers and community support officers would still go.

Full story in today's Halstead Gazette.