West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson has announced that there will be no compulsory redundancies of PCSOs. The news is the result of tough decisions made to drive efficiencies elsewhere in the organisation, such as the decision to reduce the number of buildings we own and rent. To safeguard PCSOs changes to other areas will have to continue because West Midlands Police is still losing money compared to last year.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said,
“This announcement follows much hard work from myself with the Chief Constable and Deputy Chief Constable. Working together we have made changes elsewhere in the organisation to be able to protect PCSOs, who the public value so highly.
“To protect PCSOs we are having to continue with efficiencies elsewhere, like the number of buildings we own and rent. West Midlands Police’s funding is still going down, that is why we are having to continue to cut elsewhere to protect our PCSOs.
“The truth is that the pressures on the police are growing, we are dealing with issues like radicalisation, cyber-crime and child sexual exploitation in greater numbers than before, and our funding is still falling. There are still difficult choices to be made in the future.
“Following a sustained and high profile campaign we forced the Chancellor to think again about police funding, and whilst our funding has not been protected, we are in a better place than before. Our successful funding campaign combined with prioritising elsewhere, means that there will be no compulsory redundancies of PCSOs.
“Protecting PCSOs is a top priority and I have been pressing for this for some time. My job is to deliver for the public and everywhere I go people tell me how much they value their PCSOs. That is why we are protecting them.”
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