What a waste

A recent newspaper report highlighted the high levels of overtime being worked by our officers to the tune of £6millon.

This is in the context of a reduction in our operating budget.

So why are they having to work so many hours?

Clearly we do not have enough officers, which we are all very aware of when we call for assistance.

But why should that be the case?

How many officers can you employ for £6millon?

If you say that the capitation rate for an officer is £50,000 that works out to be about 120 more trained and deployable.

So when are they going to do the sums and sort out the finances and recruit more?

It is also reported that Cleveland Police has the highest number of officers with second jobs.

Could that be a reason for absence and shortfalls in numbers?

We are always being told there is no money for policing and yet we can find money for overtime and the building of a new headquarters that, to my mind, is not needed.

It is about time we had better management of this expensive and ineffective police force rather than expecting taxpayers to stump up endlessly.

Chris Gallacher, TD VR,

Chairman,

UKIP Redcar,

Normanby Road,

Middlesbrough.