26/01/2010 - Police force looks to privatisation
A police supervisory body in the North East has considered bringing in a private sector partner in a bid to save jobs and services.
Councillor Dave McLuckie, chair of Cleveland Police Authority, said members of the authority had agreed to consider the possibility of bringing in a private sector partner to help deliver support services.
The councillor said the move to a 'smarter way of operating' was needed if the force was going to escape making cuts to police services and axing jobs. According to Councillor McLuckie, 'tens of millions of pounds' could be generated by bringing in a private sector partner.
He said: "The brutal fact is that policing, in common with every other part of the public service, is going to face huge financial pressures over the next few years with the prospect of very significant reductions in Government funding.
"Unless we are able to continue modernising the way we operate - in other words doing things better and smarter - we could be facing the prospect of having to consider big cuts in both jobs and front-line policing. The involvement of a private sector partner could make a significant contribution - certainly tens of millions of pounds over 10 years."
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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