Departing police boss warns PM against cuts

5 hours ago

Stuart WoodwardEssex

News image — Ben-Julian Harrington said any cuts to policing could damage links to the local community

Martin Giles/BBC Ben-Julian Harrington sitting in a room with a desk and bay windows behind him. He wears a white shirt and black tie, and black epaulettes on his shoulders. — Ben-Julian Harrington said any cuts to policing could damage links to the local community

A retiring chief constable has warned the prime minister against any cuts to local policing, telling him: "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."

Ben-Julian Harrington steps down on Monday after eight years in charge of Essex Police, having started his career with the Metropolitan Police in 1990.

During his tenure he has called for his officers to be paid more, saying some were leaving the force for better-paid jobs in scaffolding and double-glazing.

The Home Office said it was working with police to "deliver major reforms" and "ensure we have the right policing in the right places".

Speaking to the BBC ahead of his retirement, Harrington recalled a quote from Sir Robert Peel - founder of the Met Police in 1829 - who said: "The police are the public and the public are the police."

Harrington said: "We live and breathe that in Essex - our relationship with communities."

There was "a Goldilocks principle [in policing]", he explained, adding that "a force needs to be big enough to do things, but small enough to get things done".

"I think in the long term we will see policing - like it is certainly in other parts of the world - more separated from its communities and with less support," he continued.

Richard Smith/BBC Roger Hirst is wearing a suit and a blue Conservative rosette while standing outside. He faces a uniformed police officer, who has their back to the camera. — The Conservative police, fire and crime commissioner for Essex, Roger Hirst, criticised the funding provided by the Labour government

In January, the government announced a review into the prospect of "dramatically" reducing the number of police forces in England and Wales.

That same week, the Labour administration said it would provide £21bn for police in England and Wales in 2026-27, up £1.3bn on the previous year, which it said meant a real-terms increase of 4.4%.

But the Conservative police, fire and crime commissioner for Essex, Roger Hirst, said this meant the county's share would be "insufficient" and would therefore consider cutting 110 full-time roles.

Between 2012 and March 2025, the number of special constables in England and Wales fell from 20,343 to 5,534.

Essex Police has 3,700 police officers and another 2,500 police staff to cover a county of 1.9 million people.

A Home Office spokesman said: "We thank Ben-Julian Harrington for his service as Essex Police chief constable.

"We are working closely with policing partners to deliver major reforms, which will bring the police closer to the communities they serve and ensure we have the right policing in the right places."

Also in an interview with the BBC, Harrington defended his officers against "armchair critics" and discussed his plans beyond retirement, including a cycle ride across France.