Spending cuts force top cops to quit, says Labour
Ed Balls is back on the beat. The Shadow Home Secretary has been in Nottinghamshire to highlight police budget cuts. If he looked slightly lost, no one should blame him because all the talk has been about the A19.
This is fast becoming the political direction of travel for some chief constables and the politicians running the county police authorities of England. The A19 is not to be confused with the dual-carriage just north of Doncaster, but a little known pension regulation that allows police officers to retire after 30 years service... if that's what they want. Many prefer and are often encouraged to stay on.
It's now being used to cut staff. Nottinghamshire is one of those constabularies that's on the road to A19 job losses. Next year, up to 86 of the most experienced officers will have no option but to retire. Over the next three to four years, the Nottinghamshire Police Authority now estimates that almost 350 staff will be forced to go on completing 30 years service.
The A19 pension regulation has become a handy alternative to compulsory redundancy, says the Nottinghamshire Police Federation. It represents many of the force's 1,800 officers.
"It is absolutely ludicrous," says Mick Taylor, the Federation's county chairman.
"This means some of our most experienced and specialist officers will have to leave. It doesn't make sense. Many officers are furious."These measures have been forced on police authorities because of the government's budget squeeze; 5.1% cuts next year, followed by a 6.7 cut in 2012/13. Nottinghamshire estimates that'll mean finding savings of £36m.
Its Chief Constable Julia Hodgson says: "These are hugely significant decisions for everyone connected with Nottinghamshire Police and I recognise the impact they will have."
Neighbouring Leicestershire is looking at savings totalling £35m but has so far resisted driving down the A19 route. Derbyshire is also resisting the A19 option.
Ed Balls believes the real level of cuts will be much higher because of the impact of inflation and other rising costs.
"People should be in no doubt that these deep cuts will mean thousands fewer police officers and it'll hit the front line," he says.
And his colleague, the Gedling MP Vernon Coaker, says the situation in Nottinghamshire highlights the need for a government rethink.
"Some of our most experienced police officers will have to go... detectives, fraud officers... and not because it's in the interests of the police but because of a budget cut."Mr Coaker, a police minister in the last Labour government, has this message for the current Home Secretary Theresa May: call in the police budgets and renegotiate a new deal with the Treasury.
There's little chance of that happening. There's a better chance of finding gold at the end of the A19.
Hello. My name is John Hess. I'm the BBC's Political Editor for the East Midlands and this blog will offer my musings on the political scene from Westminster to closer to home. 
