WEST Mercia Police has announced plans to make staff cuts to save money.
The force’s chief constable and its police and crime commissioner (PCC) have said they ‘had to make significant savings and improve efficiencies’ in a statement released on Tuesday (June 10).
While police officer numbers are not set to be affected, other staff will be asked if they want to reduce their working hours or take voluntary resignation.
A statement from chief constable Richard Cooper and police and crime commissioner John Campion said: “We believe these measures, along with a police-staff recruitment freeze, will help stabilise our financial position.”
The statement added that they had already made some redundancies in non-police officer roles, helping ‘achieve crucial savings’ with ‘further reductions necessary’.
To support this, West Mercia Police is introducing two voluntary schemes to minimise the need for further compulsory redundancies this year.
The two schemes include a voluntary and temporary reduction in hours and a Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme (MARS) allowing staff of either organisation to voluntarily resign with a lump sum payment.
Neither organisation shared details of how many positions will be affected or how much money they need to save.
West Mercia Police is responsible for policing in Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire while the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is responsible for oversight and scrutiny of the force.
