More cash is needed to fight crime

He travelled to London on Wednesday to raise concerns about a cash shortfall with members of parliament.

Mr Baggott told a cross-party group of MPs that budget pressures and council tax capping had put the force under "significant budgetary pressure."

He was accompanied by Leics police authority chairman David Saville.

Council tax

Speaking before the meeting, Mr Baggott said: "We are looking very hard at what we do, how we do it and whether we can do it more efficiently."

He said his force needed extra money to combat organised crime, drugs and alcohol-related offences and statutory requirements for all police authorities, such as the implementation of government reforms.

The public is getting fed up with rising council tax David Saville Chief Constable, Leicestershire

Mr Saville said police authorities needed at least 5.7% more in Home Office funding - but were likely to receive just over 3%.

"A cap on council tax rises - to low single figures - would leave a �300m shortfall nationally and would leave Leicestershire Constabulary facing the need to make savings of �4.5m," he said.

"Central funding has fallen short of what we needed in previous years, but we have been able to make up the difference from local council tax.