Policing is being vandalised by cuts, says former Wolverhampton chief
A former Black Country police chief has blasted cuts to forces up and down the country, warning that officers cannot work 'from Costa Coffee with a laptop'.
Richard Green is a retired Chief Superintendent who previously headed up policing in Wolverhampton and Brierley Hill.
He believes the level of cuts in the region have amounted to a form of 'vandalism' on front-line policing.
In March, it was revealed up to 2,500 West Midlands Police officers and staff are to be axed in the next four years as the force battles to save an extra £120 million.
Bosses have already been forced to cut £126m from the budget and lost 3,000 people from the payroll since 2010.
Mr Green said: "The cuts undermine some of the most serious aspects of policing. If police officers are not in the community they do not learn about things such as vulnerable young people who might be involved in terrorism, or the abuse of young people.
"They are simply not there to receive messages. You cannot police from Costa Coffee with a laptop. You need to be out in the public."
Mr Green was speaking outside Dudley Police Station last week after a visit by Labour's shadow policing minister, Jack Dromey.
He gave his 'personal support' to Ian Austin and Natasha Millward who are standing for Labour at the forthcoming election in Dudley North and Dudley South.
He also backed the campaign by Mr Austin, defending a slender Labour majority in Dudley North, to save the front desk at Dudley Police Station from closure.
"Having front desks open to the public at police stations is a reasonable expectation for people to have," he said.
"It should be accessibility for all, not just those lucky enough to come across an officer on patrol or those with access to the internet."
