What is the Merseyside Police plan to end a dedicated police presence at Liverpool Crown Court to save £188,524?
A Merseyside Police plan to disband a Court Reassurance Team based at the Queen Elizabeth II Combined Court in Liverpool has been included in papers for a public meeting of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel next week (17th October 2019).
The purpose of the Court Reassurance Team was to provide a dedicated policing presence of one sergeant and three constables and support G4S, GEOAMEY (prisoner escort), witness care as well as providing security to court staff, jurors, witnesses and visitors.
The disbanding of the Court Reassurance Team was opposed by the judiciary, but the £188,524 cost of the team was considered by Merseyside Police “to not provide a value for money service to the community in times of austerity”.
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Surely that £188,000 is for their wages, and if they want to save money in this time of Austerity [ which i thought was over!] why don’t they do away with the loaned helicopter which they are paying millions out each year for?
Thanks for your comment. Yes the £188,524 is the salaries of those police officers. I think you’re referring to my piece earlier in the year about how much Merseyside Police pay the National Police Air Service for air support.
The lease of the helicopter to the Norwegian government brings some money to Merseyside Police (but I’m not sure how much).