Mr Blunkett says he's on the side of the police

Spot fines issued by police for loutish behaviour are to be rolled out across England and Wales by the end of the year, David Blunkett has told the Police Federation.

He said that in pilot trials the use of fixed penalty notices with fines of up to �80 had saved police officers hours of bureaucratic form filling.

But according to Home Office figures, just 53% of fines had been paid by the end of January, when the trials had been running for about five months.

Of the rest, 44% had gone unpaid and offenders had been told they would receive an additional fine on top of the original sum, while 2% asked for the penalty to be reviewed by the courts, and 1% were cancelled.

We are serious about stamping out bureaucracy and enabling police officers to get out on the streets and do their job David Blunkett

Mr Blunkett told the Blackpool conference: "Front line police officers have told us how much they value being able to use Fixed Penalty Notices to tackle crimes such as being drunk and disorderly and minor public order offences without having to be tied up in the police station for hours on end filling out forms.

"That is why we have decided to implement the scheme nationally by the end of the year as part of our ongoing drive to tackle anti-social behaviour.

"Implementing this scheme nationwide is an important part of the government's agenda to tackle anti-social behaviour and fear of crime.

"But it also shows we are serious about stamping out bureaucracy and enabling police officers to get out on the streets and do their job."

Hoax calls

But Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrats home affairs spokesman, said: "The home secretary is not living in the real world if he expects a drunk teenager to give an accurate name and address and to stand and receive the equivalent of a parking ticket."

So far, 3,040 notices have been issued in the pilot areas of Essex and West Midlands since August and in Croydon, in South London and North Wales since September.

Police can impose the �80 penalties for offences, including: wasting police time, making a hoax 999 call, giving the fire brigade a false alarm and behaving in a way likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

A �40 fine can be imposed for other offences, including: being drunk and disorderly, trespassing on the railway, throwing stones at trains, buying alcohol for under-18s and throwing fireworks in the street.

Safer communities

Mr Blunkett told the 1,000 rank-and-file officers that the government's focus was now on "the three Ps - paperwork, powers and prosecutions", to ensure officers were fighting crime and not the system.

His police reform programme had got rid of more than 2,000 forms after research showed officers spent just 17% of their time on patrol.

"Paperwork must be slimlined, powers must be enhanced and prosecutions must be effective and swift," he said.

"I recognise that although we have come far, we need to go further, and I invite the police themselves to be a key part in shaping and implementing further improvements and modernisation.

"We must drive the agenda forward and work together to deliver safe streets, safe homes and safe communities.

"We are on the same side, the side of the law abiding citizen. You are on their side and I am on your side."

Pay

Mr Blunkett also announced a further �20m to improve and modernise police stations and communications technology.

He has asked the independent body which decides police pay to look again at the controversial "special priority payments" for officers in specialist or demanding jobs.

The system is described by officers as divisive, unfairly imposed and damaging to morale for those who fail to get the extra cash.

However, Mr Blunkett insisted: "There can be no going back to a pay scheme which does not recognise that some posts are more demanding than others and should be rewarded as such."

Bonuses varying between �500 and �3,000 a year are set to arrive in some officers' pay packets this December.