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HomeDorset NorthCrime & Punishment - Dorset NorthPCC Police Precept proposal supported

PCC Police Precept proposal supported

Dorset’s Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill’s proposed precept for 2013/14 has been supported by the Police and Crime Panel. The panel delivered a majority verdict.

The policing precept for 2013/14 will increase by 1.95%. This will equate to £183.51 for a Band D property – a rise of £3.51 on the current year. Households across Dorset will pay an extra seven pence per week.

The Commissioner said “I welcome the fact that the Police and Crime Panel has supported my precept proposals. This allows me to set the overall budget and funding for the Force. The budget I will now be setting will secure the recruitment of another 12 police officers, increase the number of special constables, the extension of mobile data and will improve support to victims.”

Police officer recruitment in Dorset has been suspended since June 2010. Although overall numbers are set to fall further as funding continues to decline, recruitment of new officers is important to bring in new blood and allow for balance within the workforce.

“My decision to recommendraising the precept has not been made lightly.The 1.95% option represents the best balance between sustaining the Force and seeking to limit the impact on council tax payers.”

A new intake of 12 police officers will be recruited in June 2013. This will result in a net reduction of 38 officers, rather than the originally anticipated reduction of 50 from the force.

The Commissioner added “With the potential extension of the Government’s austerity cuts to 2018, Dorset Police could be faced with not having any Police Officers with less than 8 years service. The profile of the force would become unbalanced making the workforce unstable. There is also a danger that the force will become less representative of the community that we are policing with a risk of losing vital skills and leadership potential that new officers can bring”.

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