 The Home Office will fund 16,000 officers nationally |
A senior Devon and Cornwall policeman says he is disappointed plans for more Community Support Officers (PCSOs) have been dashed. Home Office cuts mean the proposed 179 posts will not be filled.
Acting Chief Constable Nigel Arnold, who is stepping down from the post, said the cuts by the Home Office were "very disappointing".
PCSOs support police officers handle routine tasks and low-level crime and can also issue fixed on-the-spot fines.
Mr Arnold, who is stepping down to make way for Stephen Otter, said: "It means part funding for 179 PCSOs next year will not arrive, but I do know that the chief constable coming in will look very closely at what he can do with partner agencies to try to make up that shortfall.
"If we can do that then I don't doubt we shall seek to recover some of those losses."
The Home Office announced in November it will now only fund 16,000 PCSO posts nationally, rather than the originally-planned 24,000.
Devon and Cornwall Police had agreed with the Home Office to develop its neighbourhood policing capacity by a total of 535 PCSOs by March 2008 but with no further Home Office funding, the number will stay at 356 for the time being.
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