 The authority say difficult decisions will need to be taken |
Plans to put more police on the streets of the Thames Valley and tackle drug crime may have to be scaled back due to lack of money, according to the police authority. The force's top priorities were arrived at after a period of public consultation earlier this year.
Thames Valley Police Authority now says the latest funding increases announced by government are not enough to carry out these plans.
They have called a meeting of their finance committee for 19 December to consider their position.
Policing plan
The government announced an overall 4.2% increase in police service funding last week, but the authority says planned initiatives would require an increase of 6.8%.
The authority says difficult decisions will need to be taken on budget priorities
The latest three-year policing plan listed five key areas to target in 2004/2005.
These were: putting more police on the streets; improving public access to the police; tackling drugs and drug crime; tackling anti-social behaviour and better use of technology.
A conference on Friday in Reading warned of a potential policing crisis if pay levels did not increase in the region.
A spokesman for the Home Office said each police force in the country was getting an increase above the rate of inflation, and the police force had received a 30% increase in funding since 2000.
"This will ensure that the police service receives the resources it needs to fight crime and make communities safer," he said.
"In return the public expect to see standards rise and the performance of every force raised to the level of the best."
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