Funding enables police to get back on streets

The Home Secretary, David Blunkett, announced that forces in 10 pilot areas will receive �13m.

The funding will enable the recruitment of additional civilian staff to carry out station-based jobs traditionally performed by police officers.

This will get officers back on the frontline, policing communities.

Frontline cash

The Home Secretary announced the funding while visiting Newcastle, where he met members of the public and those directly involved in the frontline delivery of services.

The 10 forces involved in the project are Northumbria, Surrey, Metropolitan, Dyfed-Powys, Humberside, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire and Wiltshire.

The Northumbria pilot project alone will see the equivalent of 91 police officers freed up from station-bound duties over the next two years.

Forces to benefit Northumbria Surrey Metropolitan Dyfed-Powys Humberside Lincolnshire Nottinghamshire Staffordshire West Yorkshire Wiltshire

Mr Blunkett said: "We have more police officers than ever before.

"But too often officers find themselves trapped in the station, dealing with paperwork and other duties that can, and should, be carried out by other staff.

"We need to ensure that those officers are out in their communities, reducing crime and reassuring the public through high visibility policing.

"This �13m will enable 10 forces to pilot projects to investigate new, better ways of working, cut bureaucracy and improve the service they provide to the public.

"These pilots are part of ongoing government reforms to modernise the police service.

"Reforms that have seen crime continuing to fall, record investment in the police service and its IT and record numbers of police officers supported by community support officers."