Police back 'common sense' trial

Officers said there would still be lots of checks in place

Police officers have welcomed plans to allow them to abandon government targets and make their own decisions whether to make arrests.

Staffordshire is one of four forces trialling the "common-sense approach", backed by the Home Office.

The chairman of the county's Police Federation Mark Judson said he believed the public was "fed up" with targets.

Police in the West Midlands, Surrey and Leicestershire will also take part in the trial, which covers minor crimes.

Mr Judson said officers were inspected by so many agencies there would still be "lots of checks" in place.

He said: "That is to ensure that as police officers we are doing what we're supposed to be doing and still giving a good service."

He added that targets had lost their "meaningfulness".

Mr Judson said: "People are fed up with targets. They just want public services to give the public a good service and this is what this is all about, I think."

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