‘No substitute for warranted police officers’

Mark Smith, Chairman of Essex Police Federation, said he has “concerns about who these powers are given to, what the accountability is”.

Mr Smith said: “It seems that the Government want everything but don’t want to pay for it.” 

The Home Office has launched a consultation that says it wants chief officers to have the ability to bestow any police power on volunteers – outside a reserved list of nine – including arrest and stop and search.

Mr Smith added: “I’m not sure what the Government want. I am very confused about what the Government want policing to look like in this country.  I’m very, very concerned about who will be given powers, how they will be used, how they will be accountable, and what flexibility there is.

“Is it going to be cut and dry with these people, a bit like maybe parking tickets etc? Whereas there’s discretion, there’s verbal communications with police officers and how our powers are used.

“Just because you have the power doesn’t mean you have to use it. I think there are dangers ahead and it’s not the service the public should be getting.”

Does Mr Smith think this is an excuse to offer some work to more private companies?

“That’s a concern that’s been raised right from the very start of the spending reviews and the cuts,” said Mr Smith. “We go back to the accountability of those private companies. Who are they accountable to, the shareholders or the public?

“I have grave concerns over accountability. You can’t get any more accountable than a police officer in this country. Everybody is scrutinising police officers, we’re accountable to everybody. Private companies will be accountable to their shareholders.”